Turning you into someone New
by FireStorm00X
Summary: Narcissa knows her son better than anyone. So when the other women challenge her to make Draco a soulmate, she accepts without delay. Until they choose for her to reshape Harry Potter into her sons' perfect man. Slash warning, disregards HBP.
1. The Challenge

**This may end up being a proper fic. Right now it's just sort of a plot bunny that could end up being a full fledged rabbit. We'll see.**

**Hope you enjoy.**

**Your reviews will tell me whether or not to continue, so if you like it, say so!**

"Gabrielle, you think I don't know my own son?" Narcissa pursed her lips and looked at the other woman out of the corner of her eye. They sat with Malika and Desdemona in the VIP room of _Eon_, the most exclusive club/restaurant in Wizarding London.

"Really 'Cissa, he's just turned sixteen, I haven't known a thing about Pansy for years already. I doubt you are still very in tune with a teenage boy," Gabrielle Parkinson shrugged slowly and sipped a glass of Cabernet from 1933.

"I'll have you know that I know my son as well as you know your wardrobe. Draco has always been very close to me, he and I talk daily, even when he's away at school," Narcissa answered her sharply, taking a sip of her own wine.

"Don't be aggravated 'Cissa, Gaby means well with all this. She only intends to point out that Draco has grown up and perhaps it is time you realize you probably don't know him as well as you used to," Desdemona stopped the light tension. Her smooth Italian voice slid to them over the light music.

"What makes you think that?"

"Who is his closest friend?" Gabrielle asked.

"Blaise is," Narcissa answered, the two were raised together, attached at the hip.

"What of his favorite color?-book?-potion?-subject?-food?" Malika was of course trying to prove a point.

"Silver, _A Recorded History of Dark Magik in England_ by Errol Eddling, the Deep Sleep potion, potions class, and he enjoys a good lamb chop with garlic mashed potatoes and a glass of Helbrough's 1877 white wine." Narcissa knew her son incredibly well. "Any of you can answer such things about your own children."

"Yes, I suppose but those are facts that can be listed off. His opinions are more complex, that's where we stray from intimate knowledge about them," Desdemona pointed out.

"I know my son, I'm not losing touch with him and I can prove it to you," Narcissa said, setting down her wine glass.

"All right, how?" Gabrielle lent forward slightly.

"I know," Malika Jensen spoke. "If you can find someone and form them into someone your son would fancy, if you can make him a soulmate, you know him. If not, then admit you don't know him so well as you thought."

"Who do you have in mind?" Narcissa knew it was a risk, the gut chemistry that was involved in "soulmates" most likely wouldn't occur when they chose this person. But she knew the risks and knew what she had to prove to them.

"Let's go into the Alley and find someone, Diagon Alley," Malika stood them up and led them out, Narcissa just behind her.

They strolled into the sparkly evening light surrounding _Eon_. They went down the row of expensive shops and took a turn down a wide side street to get back to Diagon. Malika smirked at a passer-by who stopped to admire the four women. Desdemona took up a position at Narcissa's right.

"Darling, is this really a good idea?" she asked in a calm whisper.

"Yes," Narcissa lied.

Malika and Gabrielle scanned the crowd trolling through Diagon. Narcissa saw Draco sitting with Pansy, Blaise and Theo in the front window of Alexander's, a small sandwich shop that the group frequented.

"Him," Malika pointed blindly at a tall boy's back. From where she was Narcissa could see wild black hair and a slightly tarnished robe.

"Fine," Narcissa stalked away from her friends towards the boy.

She moved to approach him from the front, but when she got around her eyes nearly fell from her head. Harry Potter.

_Damn._

She put on a mask and walked to him, he was seated in front of the ice-cream parlor with the muggleborn girl and the youngest male Weasley.

"Mister Potter," she put her hands on her slim waist and looked down her nose at him.

He looked up and was startled by her presence, "Misses Malfoy?"

"You're coming with me," she stated. Immediately there was a different feel to the group, more protective, tenser. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kidnap you, hurt you or anything of the sort. I simply have a proposition for you."

Harry stood and carefully followed her to a different table. She seated herself gracefully, smoothing her expensive gown as she sat.

"What is it ma'am?"

"The women I that I associate with, Misses Zabini, Parkinson and Nott, have told me that I don't know my son. I accepted a challenge to create him a soulmate, they chose you as the person I was to reshape," Harry made to stop her but she silenced him, "if you agree to this, I can get you anything you want."

Harry thought this was completely absurd. A) he didn't like guys, B) no way would he go for Malfoy and vice versa and C) the only thing he would want was Sirius to be alive again and no way Narcissa Malfoy could do that.

"I don't think so Misses Malfoy, it was-"

"You don't understand Mister Potter, I understand that you may not know you're attracted to other boys, but let me assure you, you are."

Harry gaped at her, who was this woman to say such a thing to him?

"How can you tell?" he asked, guardedly.

"For starters, how many girls have you dated?"

Harry said nothing.

"How many have you kissed then?"

"One."

"And how many have you fancied?"

"One."

"So you see, you're an utter failure with girls, stick to your own locker room," she said with a slight flourish. "Now, do you accept?"

This took care of his A argument, but B and C still remained.

"No."

"What is it then?"

"Why would I go for your son _if _I were attracted to guys?"

"Have you seen him? Honestly Harry, my son may be an arse to you and your friends but think for a second about his appearance."

Harry considered this. It was true. Malfoy had a following comparable to Harry's own. He'd even seen a spare "Malfoy FanClub" catalog lying around the common room that year. The blonde was gorgeous, Harry'd seen him in Quidditch gear, no need to pretend he hadn't ever looked.

Damn. A and B gone. All that remained was C.

"What could you possibly give me that would make me want to do this?"

Narcissa, as though she'd read his mind, spoke, "I understand you were close to my cousin Sirius and took it rather hard when he was, how you say "shoved" through the veil a year ago. If I provide you with a way to bring him back, will you accept?"

Harry didn't like this at all. He was fairly sure he didn't like guys. He was sure he hated Malfoy's pretty little guts. He was very sure he wanted Sirius back though.

Was it all worth it?

"How long will it go on? I mean until your friends are satisfied?"

"This whole next year, he will be your only romantic companion. Thereafter, you are adults and it no longer concerns us mothers."

"So just a year?"

"Yes," Narcissa said, remaining patient. She knew it was sealed with the look in his eyes when she offered him his godfather back. She wasn't a fool, anything was possible with the right connections. "Do you accept?"

Harry hesitated another moment. "Yes, but on the condition that you swear on your family honor to help me bring Sirius back."

Narcissa smirked at the shrew boy, "I swear on the honor of the Malfoy and Black families that, when Harry and Draco have been together a year, I will assist him in bringing Sirius Black back from beyond the veil."

She had to add the year long clause to the oath.

Harry nodded and they shook on it. "We start tonight," she said. Harry was taken by surprise. "You're coming to stay with me in Dublin, I'm going to spend the rest of this month preparing you. Next month will be spent convincing Draco, from there, I will help you maintain a strong relationship with my son."

She stood, making him follow. "Where are your things being held or kept or…whatever?"

"At the Burrow, I was going to spend the holidays with my friends but-"

"None of that, we'll pick them up tomorrow."

They approached the table where Hermione and Ron were waiting nervously for his return. Narcissa came up and looked at Ron.

"Where is it you live?"

"Eh, the eh, Burrow, ma'am," Ron stuttered.

She nodded, "we'll be by tomorrow, promptly at half past nine to get Mister Potter's things. Have them ready, please," she wasn't asking at all.

"Wait, what's going on?" Hermione reached for Harry's arm.

"I-" Harry was obligated to follow the blonde woman who was leaving, "I'll write and explain everything, I swear but I have to go now," he told them and they watched him follow her into the crowds.

"Where are we going again?" Harry asked.

"My house in Dublin, it's a perfect place for you to be trained. Draco's got a whole wing to live in so that's where you can learn about him," she said.

"Oh."

Narcissa pointed to a spot by a lamp-post a little ways off, "wait there, I have to bid my son adieu, then we'll go."

She entered the shop and went to her only child.

"Darling, I'm going to Dublin for the rest of the month, no need to come visit, have fun in Spain, see you when you return," Narcissa kissed his cheek.

Draco was used to his mother's random comings and going so disregarded her staying in Dublin for a month. It didn't matter, he and his three best friends were being allowed to stay, unsupervised, in Spain for a month. They left the next day.

"Of course mum, see you when I return," he kissed her back and she left.

"Your mum, quite the loon," Blaise said with the end of a toothpick sticking from between his lips.

"Douche," Draco flicked the boy between the eyes.

Narcissa was leading Harry towards the Leaky Cauldron to floo them out to Ireland.

_What did I get myself into?_ Harry asked as he watched her disappear into the green flames.


	2. The Wing

_This is stuff I forgot the first time:_

_Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from anything related to or taken from the Harry Potter books series. That will only be said this once. So there._

_Rating: T for now, but may, MAY go up._

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_Narcissa was leading Harry towards the Leaky Cauldron to floo them out to Ireland._

_What did I get myself into? Harry asked as he watched her disappear into the green flames._

They arrived and Harry felt the immediate urge to run in the other direction. The main parlor they'd appeared in was, to put it simply, huge. The ceiling was dome shaped and painted with a scene of a banquet involving many pale, blonde persons. There were couches of black leather and black wood tables with elaborately carved legs. Harry looked around the room, the walls were lined with shelves holding trinkets and vases filled with silver roses and several books. Harry saw at least one snake curled up asleep on a shelf.

The room in itself was sort of creepy, the window didn't really help, with ivy crawling over the glass and sending odd moon made shadows onto the floor.

"This way," Narcissa wasn't at all fazed by the dark room with the eyes staring down from the ceiling.

Harry quickly trotted after her, down curving halls. Oddly enough there were no real corners, all curves, which Harry found rather fairly unsettling.

They reached a pair of doors made entirely from silver it appeared. "This is Draco's wing," she pushed open the doors.

Inside a large circular room had two stair cases curving up to the second floor and in the hollow between them sat a huge bed. The thick white hanging didn't do anything to hid the size of the piece. At least six people across and two persons could fit down it, at least that. The walls were painted in ivy as though the stuff that covered the stone and mortar outside of the manor had crept inside.

Harry turned to look at the shelves around the large black marble fireplace. They were spotted with framed wizard photos of Malfoy, Zabini, Parkinson and Nott. There was one of them as children looking excitable as they ate cake on a patio somewhere. Harry spotted one of him from very recently at a concert with the bass player standing next to Malfoy, an arm slung over his shoulder and they were doing fake sneers. Blaise and Pansy were with the drummer nearby and Theo was chatting up the female lead singer, in the photo that is.

It was a gorgeous room, the upstairs had a few doors, all carved with thorny vines crawling up them.

"This is where you will stay, the best way to get to know Draco is to live like him," she said. "There is the bathroom," it was the first door up the right staircase. "There is the study," the next one over, "and a studio," the final door up the right. "There are the two guest rooms," the first two doors up the left staircase, "and the game room," she indicated to the last door. "Treat this area well."

Harry nodded. He moved closer to the shelf to inspect more of the pictures.

Narcissa hadn't left. The mother in her wanted to make him feel welcome. As cold hearted as she was, she still had love in her, somewhere behind her left knee cap.

"If you need anything, just call a house elf," she said to his back. Harry turned and nodded over his shoulder. He returned to looking at a photo of Zabini and Nott and Malfoy sitting on lawn chairs on an intersection in the middle of downtown London.

Feeling awkward, Narcissa left to her own wing. She passed the huge area closed over for her husband when he stayed there. She hadn't shared a bed with him since the night she became pregnant with Draco. With a sigh she entered the entirely black wing she has reserved. In this place she was alone and in her isolation she was silent.

There was a black viper lying on the seat of one of the overstuffed white chairs. It raised its head to Harry and hissed.

"_Who are you? Where is master?"_

"_I'm Harry Potter, Malfoy is in Spain."_

The snake pulled away from him quickly, in surprise that he'd responded.

"_Why are you here?"_

"_Misses Malfoy is turning me into Draco's perfect guy. What's your name?"_

"_Master calls me Indigo. My proper name is Issselensssel. But Indigo is fine."_

"_Nice to meet you," _Harry seated himself on the arm of the chair, "_What are you?"_

"_A Black-Scaled French Hissiuse (1)."_

"_So you're a magic snake?"_

"_Of course," _It gave him a look. "_Can't you tell?" _

"_Eh, yes," _Harry said this originally so that the snake wouldn't feel the need to bite him. Then he noticed the spikes coming from along the spine of the snake, they were ivory white like the chair, which is why he hadn't noticed before. _"Pretty spines."_

"_Thank you," _the snake liked him more after the compliment.

Harry glanced up to the second floor. What all was up there again? Guest rooms, bathroom, game room, study and what? "_I'm going to check out the second floor," _he said shortly and left Indigo to sleep some more.

He climbed up the right flight and looked into the bathroom.

It was huge, prefect sized, possibly a little bigger. On the counter surrounding a silver basined sink was a toothbrush, hairbrush, face cleansers eye-liner and some hair products. Harry explored and a little and found the bathtub, when empty, could be used as a small indoor track. He doubted this was an intended use for it, but hey, it could work.

Moving on he found the study. This consisted of a room with one large window facing West and walls covered in book shelves and a large oak desk covered in scrolls of parchment, colored inks and quills.

Harry seated himself and found all the scrolls had boring things on them, notes on a potions book or a new charm they'd learnt. A rolla-dex was stuffed with names and numbers. Harry spun it around and stopped it randomly on B. At least fifty business cards or slips of paper were in there paper clipped to the cards of the rolla-dex. All purebloods no doubt. On the shelf attached to the desk a set of five large trophies sat. They had horses sitting on top of them, the horses had wings mind you, and a rider with a golf club was sitting on the horse, club raised to the sky. Reading the plate it said: Trophy Awarded to the International Champion Youth team the _Wiltshire Whitespikes_ for Winning the International Polagerus Championship. Team Captain: DracoMalfoy.

Harry cocked his head to the side, confused. What in the name of Merlin was Polagerus (2)?

Letting it go he moved onto the final room on that side.

The walls of the small square room were an off white and the carpet was plain beige. An easel sat in the middle of the room with a paint spattered stool before it. A half finished charcoal drawing was attached to the stand. Thin, almost invisible lines showed the figures but only the top half was shaded in. Drawings were scattered across the floor on large pieces of newsprint. Books of smaller drawings and a large painting on plain canvas took an entire wall. The colors curled around each other and drips bled from blue to green through black and into the unfinished area at the bottom. Harry made his careful way through the drawings on the floor to the easel.

The subject was a photo that was clipped to the top corner of the drawing. Two small children, one a blonde boy and the other a black haired girl in pigtails, were lying in the grass grinning at the camera.

It was a gorgeous room and the drawings were all incredible. Did Malfoy do all this? _Malfoy?_ The git who'd tortured him for six years?

Harry began to sort through the drawings on the floor. Their subject matter ranged from a small ten by ten ink of Snape lecturing the class to Voldemort himself sitting in his high backed chair with the snake curling at his feet, men bowed before him. Many of the pictures had their original photo clipped to them, but some just had an index card to explain them. Voldemort's had "What we envision when our Fathers tells us about the Dark Lord." This was even more unsettling.

Being in the room was just weird for Harry. Being in Malfoy's wing was weird. Hell, being within the walls of a Malfoy Manor was creepy _and _weird.

:In Alexander's Sandwich Shop:

"When we get to Barcelona we should stop by Conejo and pick up some more wine for my mum," Draco said. He briefly examined a crisp before he ate it.

"She does have a taste for Spanish wine," Theo nodded.

"What do you want to get your mum?" Draco asked the tawny haired boy.

"I just thought a card would do," Theo shrugged.

His friends gave him a set of those looks. "Fine, make a suggestion someone."

"You're mother loves orange rubies and remember we saw that necklace last time we went," Blaise said as he sipped his butterbeer.

Theo liked this idea and nodded to it. "I hope you plan on getting your mother a gift too Blaise," Pansy said, directing her gaze at him.

"Of course, my mother enjoys her chocolate and Hektor is the best chocolate maker in Spain," Blaise said defensively.

"And you Pansy? What about your mum?" Theo turned to her.

"My mother needs some more Spanish quail meat sent to the house and has been to lazy to send the letter. That's what she asked of me, that's what she's getting," Pansy answered.

"A chore?"

"Yes."

"Well, that'll make one you've done," Blaise dodged a crisp that she chucked at him across their booth.

"Prats," Draco muttered. "Our portkey activates in an hour, everyone ready?" he asked them as they began to leave.

"Of course, our things were floo'd over this morning, the elves were instructed to set everything up, our dear Suave will be there when we arrive," Blaise ticked things over using his long fingers. They were staying at the Zabini manor instead of the Parkinson manor where they usually stayed while in Spain. Pansy's mother had insisted they go somewhere else.

"Perfect, I want ice-cream," Theo, who was very open about his cravings, said as they walked by.

Hermione and Ron turned to the Slytherin group as they passed.

"Oi, Malfoy," Ron called, "what did your mother want with Harry?"

Draco nearly burst out laughing at the absurdity of the remark, "what are you talking about Weasel? The insanity of being constantly near starvation finally set it?"

The group laughed and kept on going. Ron fumed at them while Hermione loaded her spoon with ice-cream and flicked it at her boyfriend. His head snapped around in shock at her.

"What? You needed to cool off," she stated and her lips were covered in his.

"I think you need a long-term lover," Blaise stated abruptly later that night as they sat around with their feet resting on the footstool/portkey as they awaited the moment.

"I most certainly do not," Draco retorted, curling his upper lip in disgust.

"How long has it been since you had a real relationship? A year?" Pansy asked.

"You can understand if I don't want to invest too much in any one person these days," Draco reminded them of exactly why he kept away from boyfriends.

His last one, Sasha, had, after ten months, turned around and proclaimed himself the victim of Draco's Imperio curse which he had finally broken out from. This got him loads of media attention, which is what he'd strived for the whole time. He also got punched in the face by the blonde.

"That was a year ago, Drake. Get over it," Pansy said, she'd had similar things happen before.

"I most certainly will not, you didn't let Ariel go for a while," Draco shot back.

"Aye, but I had proper relationships between her and Jasmine, lasting from a week to three. You've not kept one person around longer than five nights."

Draco growled, "die in a hole Parkinson."

They gave him falsely shocked looks, knowing they'd won the argument. Then they felt the tug behind their naval and the room spun.

:Back at the Dublin Malfoy Manor:

Dawn broke and Harry pulled himself up from the couch where'd he fallen asleep reading a book about Astronomy and how it was used to schedule pregnancies in early wizarding.

"HARRY!" A loud voice rang out through the house.

Startled, Harry fell of the couch into a heap on the floor. Then Narcissa came in, dressed in a dark green satin gown with a black cloak around her shoulders.

"Oh, get up Harry, no time to sleep, we have to pick up your things from the…what was it called? the Hole?"

"The Burrow ma'am," Harry offered and stood, smoothing his jeans.

"Yes, the Burrow," she confirmed and swept from the room.

_Kill me now._

**1: A Black-Scaled French Hissiuse is a about a meter long (maximum) and is, obviously, black. It has white spines about half an inch long running down its spine carrying a very powerful poison. What makes them magical is the wings that the snakes have, which are normally camouflaged and folded around the upper body of the snake. That and that the bite of this snake is the best antidote to any poison besides its own. (I completely made this creature up, don't go rushing for your copy of _Magical Beasts and where to find them._ Haha, cuz I have that book and they're not in there.)**

**2: Polagerus is a game I made up for Draco and his buddies to play. It's polo, on Pegasus instead of regular horses and you play using a snitch sized orange and white stripped ball. I thought it sounded pretty cool. It'll be kind of significant later, Harry learns how to play so rules and the like will be explained then. This is just here so you don't punch me because you're confused**

**WAHOO! You like the story! You really like the story!**

**I'd like to thank Kitty Maxwell-Yuy for giving my plot bunny carrots to feed on. He's been getting so much encouragement to grow into a full on rabbit that I really don't think he has a choice anymore. I'm named the bunny Bernard, you may refer to him thusly. **

**(I just like naming things.)**

**I hope no one has a problem with my slightly AU version of Draco, well super AU since I'm kind of shuttling all the HBP info to the side, including info about all other characters. So…you're going to have to deprogram that information while reading this fiction.**

**Thank you very very much. All 20+ reviews have been super nice. I adore you all. **

**:distributes hugs, kisses and cookies to reviewers: So you feel loved.**

**-Firestorm00X**


	3. The Affairs

**Hoorah! over 40 reviews for this story.**

**Bernard is an awesome rabbit it seems. I'll keep writing just for you reviewers.**

**Bernard says:**

**Imigo- thank-you very much for the carrot muffin, it was most delicious!**

**Alhera 13- the pat was delightful, I'm a rabbit who craves attention and the carrot was wondrously thoughtful, thank-you.**

**Amy-Tonks- thank-you also for the carrots, very nice of you**

**FireStorm00X says:**

**Scardi- Harry will live through the year. I promise! Draco will go something like this: "WHAT!" and the Order doesn't know yet, no.**

**SBR- No, Dumbledore has NO say in this, 'cause I like it like that. Ron and Hermione will find out shortly, I promise.**

**A tid of the last chapter to keep you in the flow(ish) of things:

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**

_"Oh, get up Harry, no time to sleep, we have to pick up your things from the…what was it called? the Hole?"_

_"The Burrow ma'am," Harry offered and stood, smoothing his jeans._

_"Yes, the Burrow," she confirmed and swept from the room._

_Kill me now._

**:The Summer Prior:**

"Narcissa?" Snape looked up from his desk at the stunning woman who'd just entered his study.

At the Snape Mansion there were rarely visitors.

"Severus," she looked very worried.

"What?" his brow knitted as he stood and crossed to her, an arm held out to her.

"My god, Severus," she crumpled to her knees, putting her face in her hands, tears running from her eyes. He knelt next to her and pulled her to his chest, she fell against him, clutching his robe and crying. "It's gone Sev," she managed through her tears.

He knew then exactly what was happening. Narcissa had been expecting for nearly six months, she'd done everything right. She'd stopped drinking, stopped going to _Eon_ with all the smoke. She'd had a whole wing chosen for the new child, and she was having it painted meadow green and trimmed in white.

Snape felt and nearly heard his heart shatter. His child was gone. Narcissa, who hadn't been able to provide her husband with another heir was shunted to the side and Lucius amused himself with a cute younger woman. Narcissa, not a woman to be ignored, had gone to Severus for company. Not romantically at first, simply for someone who wasn't a shallow society woman to converse with. After a year she'd even been blunt enough to spend Christmas at the Snape mansion instead of her own. Though it didn't matter, Lucius was working, while Draco was at the Sur La Plage with his friends.

"How?" He asked, holding back his own grief. He had to be strong for Narcissa.

She shook her head, showing she didn't know, and then let another sob pass violently through her. Severus curled his arms around her and held her. They stayed their for a very long time, when she fell asleep he took her to the bedroom and laid her down and held her as they slept.

When she awoke he had tea and her favorite comfort foods ready for her. They lay in bed the entire day, resting against the head board, while she was curled around him, resting against his chest. Her hand still clutched at him, trying to keep some little piece of him, if not his child. She held onto the man that loved her.

At nearly ten that night a black owl appeared with a letter from Draco.

_Mother,_

_Where in the name of Romulus Malfoy have you been? In any case, Pansy, Blaise, Theo and I arrived at the Wiltshire Manor yesterday at eleven-ish. Morocco was splendid, pretty as ever. I got you some silk, just like you asked. I do hope to see you soon, remember it has been a month now. Wherever you are I hope you're enjoying yourself._

_Best Wishes and All my Love,_

_Draconis Lucius Malfoy._

"Enjoying myself," she repeated sadly.

"Darling," Severus started, "someday we must get up and face the world."

She gave a tiny nod of comprehension, "I really did want this child."

"As did I," he nodded as his fingers ran through her long hair as he stared into space.

There was a short silence, "I do love you, you know that?" she looked up at him through her thick black lashes.

He left his aimless thoughts and looked down into her brilliant turquoise eyes. "Of course I know that." he bent down a little and kissed her softly, "and you know, of course, that I adore you."

She smiled at him and sighed, holding him tighter. "What would we have named him?"

"Are you sure it was a boy?"

"Yes," she whispered.

Severus thought about it, "Chael **1**, Chael Kieran **2**."

"Perfect," Narcissa whispered and fell asleep once again against him.

Snape lay awake for a very long time. His thoughts rested on what could have been.

Chael, his son, he'd imagined him since the day he'd found out Narcissa was pregnant. Black hair, like his father, his mother's turquoise eyes, her patience, her beauty, her mind. Supposedly he'd be built more like his father, broad of shoulder and narrow hipped. He would have been a gorgeous little boy.

"I pray, Lord, that Narcissa and I have our son someday. If you are a truly forgiving God, hear me now, hear this plea; I repent my sins, everything I have done I will take back if only we may have our son."

Snape offered up this prayer in the dark silence of his room.

:**The Burrow:**

"Hello? Mrs. Weasley?" Narcissa took a few steps into the house.

"Oh, Misses Malfoy," Arthur appeared from the kitchen.

"Hello Arthur," she greeted him, far more casual than normal.

"Come in, come in, Ron should be down with Harry's trunk in just a moment." Arthur stepped aside to let them in.

Molly, though she'd married a poor man, was of a pureblood family and she remained attracted to the world she'd left for love. In her youth she'd been acquaintances with the future Malfoy bride. She, though very proud of her family and her life, still wanted to be a part of all that a part of what the society had to offer.

"Thank-you," Narcissa entered the kitchen and seated herself. Harry went after her and took a seat as well.

"Do you want anything?"

"If you have goat milk, that would be lovely," Narcissa said.

"I'm afraid we don't have any," Arthur said, checking the fridge for posterity's sake.

"Water then, thank-you," Narcissa didn't know why she'd wanted goat milk.

"Of course," Molly waved her wand and had a glass poured for her from the tap.

"Anything for you, Harry?"

"No, thanks though," Harry said, he put his hands in his lap. He wondered why Narcissa and the Weasleys were so sociable when her son and theirs would kill each other at a moment's notice.

Narcissa drank some of her water and looked around the kitchen.

"How have you been doing these days?" Molly asked her old friend.

"Rather well, actually. Lucius has been away for quite some time, however, I have things to amuse me in his absence," she said, seeming like the perfect adoring wife.

Molly nodded and turned sharply when Ron entered, dragging Harry's fully packed trunk. "Here," he slammed the trunk down, rather peeved about the situation.

"Ronald!" Molly glared at him, "be polite." She was rather sensitive to the fact that she didn't live in nearly the luxury of her relative. That her children weren't so well groomed or behaved or trained.

"No need to worry," Narcissa eyed the trunk, "it's a sturdy piece of luggage by the looks of it, I'm sure it will hold through a simple drop."

Harry became aware of how beaten and scratched his trunk really was. With second year and all the throwing around of the luggage that happened at the Dursely place, it was indeed a well used object.

"It's so nice to see you Narcissa," Molly stood as the white haired woman did, "perhaps we'll talk again?"

Molly grasped for her chance to glimpse the upper crust of society.

"Of course, someday you can come for tea," Narcissa was in a light mood, the prospect of going shopping always delighted her. Molly was an old friend, not one she'd brag about, but a friend. Tea would do no harm.

"I'd love to," Molly nodded.

Ron had his arms crossed over his rumpled shirt and half done tie. He gave Harry an expectant look as he approached.

"I'll write you and explain everything, I promise," Harry said, grabbing a handle of his trunk.

"It better be a damn good letter Harry," Ron warned, taking the other side and walking with him to the fire. "Dumbledore will ask, and the Order, and everyone."

"Yeah, I know, I'll explain things, but, promise you'll be accepting of it all." Harry wanted to brace him early.

"You're not having an affair with Mrs. Malfoy are you?" Ron asked in a whisper.

"NO!" Harry said a little too loudly.

Narcissa followed them and examined the youngest Weasley boy. He had good shoulders, a long neck, he was gangly a time ago, she remembered that, but he was comfortable with his limbs now and moved with a very odd grace. He had shaggy red hair and the freckles over his nose were cute.

By no means was she attracted to him, but he made a nice compliment to Blaise Zabini, who always kept her on the look out for cute boys. She made a mental note to inform him of the young man.

"Come, come, now, into the fire," Narcissa pulled her gown up a little, set her foot against the trunk and gave it a final kick into the fireplace.

Ron and Harry gave her a startled look as she pinched some powder and threw it in, "Dublin Manor of the Malfoy clan."

The trunk disappeared.

"Go on Harry," she said.

He hugged his friend and stepped in and repeated what she'd said.

At the Dublin manor Narcissa had already ordered his trunk dumped right there on the parlor floor. Harry nearly died at the sight of his underwear lying strewn around. Narcissa began ordering the things sorted and brought to her one by one.

Most of his clothes she threw out.

His personal effects she allowed him, but all his clothes were tossed, including his school robes.

"Hey, I may have agreed to this but-" Harry was stopped when she held up a sweater Molly had made him in first-year.

"Do you have an incredibly deep emotional connection to this?"

Harry considered, it was his first proper Christmas gift, so yes. He nodded and, with dislike, she set it with his other things to be kept. She blew through most of it, having it all used for kindling.

A little peeved Harry took his things and his trunk to his/Draco's wing. He set them down and looked around again. Still surprised by the wing.

"Come on," Narcissa appeared at the door.

"Why?"

"Shopping."

:**Echo Boulevard:**

"Here we are," Narcissa said. Harry was just behind her, his mouth open at the way this place leaked money and class.

"What exactly are we getting?"

"Everything."

Rich store fronts lined a street paved in smooth marble-like stone.

The day was a blitz of shopping during which Harry seriously considered turning himself over to Voldemort.

She managed to completely redo his wardrobe in just under five hours. The amounts she spent were ludicrous and made Harry feel rather useless.

37 Galleons, 5 Knuts on pants. She'd chosen the most expensive ones she could find. Some were tailor made. She had the audacity to get his name stitched into a belt in Gryffindor colors.

42 Galleons, 2 Knuts, 3 Sickles on tops. Between suit jackets, tee-shirts, long sleeves shirts, button ups, a set of wife beaters and turtlenecks it rang up very fast. However she'd not batted an eye when the final toll came by. Harry himself nearly fell over it was so much.

33 Galleons, 6 Knuts and a Sickle on shoes. Shoes! He owned boots, loafers, tennis shoes, work out shoes, Quidditch boots and four pairs of nice black shoes to wear with his new uniforms.

9 Galleons and a Knut on underwear and socks. They were damn fine underwear too.

She spent 12 Galleons on hats! Well, twelve hats and two pairs of earmuffs.

Narcissa got him a new set of Hogwarts robes with his name above the crest. She provided him with a new leather trunk and every purchase was sent directly to the manor and placed in the wing.

They reached a jewelry shop and she nearly dragged him in he was so unwilling.

Feeling incredibly expensive and even more useless than beforeHarry allowed her to choose an emerald and white gold ring for him and the matching bracelet. She got herself a sapphire and silver ring and a pair of earrings. As they were leaving though Narcissa spotted a black pearl anklet which she purchased for her son.

On their way back Narcissa made them stop and sit for some time, saying it was so Harry wouldn't tire out, but really due to a dizzy spell that overcame her.

Odd cravings?

Dizziness?

Narcissa suddenly, with shock counted the weeks it had been…6? 7?

Was it possible?

She'd put it off as old age. But…perhaps, if the ancestors cared for her at all it could be possible.

Hurriedly she dropped Harry at the manor.

"Be good," she called as she moved to her private wing to portkey to Snape's mansion.

Severus Snape was always a harsh man, from his features to his wit to his actions. His study was a dark place where his soul was lost in ancient tomes and the single window was covered by black curtains for nearly a year now. No light in his life.

The door opened.

He looked up and saw Narcissa standing in his doorway observing him. All her rush was forgotten as she stared at her black eyed lover.

With interest, almost concern, he sat up and looked at her expectantly.

"I," she said as she walked into the dark study, "wanted goat's milk this morning at the Hole…Burrow, whatever."

"Oh?" Snape had no idea what she was getting at besides the fact she had a craving for a food group she couldn't normally tolerate.

"I also," she took another step in, "had a dizzy spell this afternoon in Echo."

Snape's features darkened with concern, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered. "When was the last time I wanted goat's milk?"

Snape thought hard on the question…about a year and a half. Just before they found out that she was pregnant (and had been for a month or so) with their child. His expression snapped to one of shock.

"Do you mean…?"

"Hmm?" She cocked her head to the side, waiting for him to finish.

"Are you pregnant again?" He asked her. He was standing and moving slowly towards her, his arms open slightly to take her.

"I believe I am," she said as they met in the middle of the study. His hands moved over her waist to the small of her back and he pulled her close, placing his head in the crook of her neck.

"Narcissa…this is incredible," he kissed her neck.

The woman slid her arms around his neck and held him where he was, allowing herself to adore the feeling of him again.

"We should make sure," she whispered in her ear.

"Of course," he agreed, barely hearing her as he placed another kiss just below her jaw. She closed her eyes and smiled as his lips moved to hers.

* * *

**1: Chael means celestial or angelic.**

**2: Kieran means little dark one.**


	4. The Babies

:**Dublin Manor:**

Harry, being rather put out at being dropped and forgotten, was sitting in front of the fire place looking into the flames. An elf had brought him some food and mostly he was bored, the books were nothing to interest him, besides a copy of Jane Eyre which he needed only to glance at before putting it back.

Harry went into the study and wrote his letter to Ron and Hermione and Ginny:

_Hey guys,_

_You know I'm staying with Mrs. Malfoy in Ireland at one of their houses. I'll say why but you're not going to like it (especially you Ron). So let me warn you I'm doing it all so that I can get Sirius back. Narcissa swore she'd bring him back, on Malfoy and Black family honor. So I'm going to trust that she'll do it. _

_Mrs. Malfoy was challenged to turn me into Malfoy (Draco)'s "soulmate." For the year I have to date the git to help Mrs. Malfoy win a challenge the other mothers gave her. It's really confusing and sort of sick and twisted but try and be open minded. _

_Yeah, I know, shocking that this would happen to _me._ I'm okay, safe and well fed. I'm really sorry I can't spend my birthday or the rest of summer with you all. I'll see you on 1 September and I'll write you at least every week. I hope you understand. Don't hate me. _

_Remember, I'm only in it to get my godfather back._

_Love,_

_Harry._

After this he wrote a similar letter to Dumbledore and the Order. Explaining the situation and his motives and he promised he was okay and swore to send a letter every four to five days assuring them of his safety. Sending Hedwig off with the letters he watched her until she disappeared.

Afterwards he went back down to take another stab at Jane Eyre.  His tea was cold but it didn't matter. The heavy silver doors vibrated with a knock. Harry, worried, slid down and hid behind the front of the couch.

Good thing too.

The doors opened and Lucius Malfoy entered, he glanced about the wing.

"Draco?"

No answer came but he didn't leave. Instead the man walked purposefully to one of the stair cases.

"_Inclinus Mobulis,_" The stair case retracted upwards to reveal a black passageway. "It's safe, come up," he called and a gorgeous twenty something woman came up. She was royally dressed but had a slightly annoyed expression.

"I don't see why I have to come in through the back entrance," she said.

"In case Narcissa is around," he answered with a smirk.

The woman rolled her eyes, "she knows perfectly well about us. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew we were here right now."

"That's foolish," Lucius shook his head.

Narcissa and Severus were walking through her wing of the Dublin Manor, for she would need his help in prepping Harry for Draco. Severus, though he seemed disconnected from everything, was well in tune with his godson. He still didn't know why they were there though.

She saw the doors to Draco's wing were open and she looked into to see Lucius speaking with Camille, his tart.

Seething she stalked in and raised her eyebrows at her husband.

He looked over at her, looked her over and shrugged her off.

"How nice of you to stop by Lucius," she said, not meaning it at all.

Harry, from behind the couch, looked between the spouses and nearly saw the daggers flying at each other. He saw Snape just outside the doors with a nonchalant expression. Camille though was backing towards the secret entrance again with a worried look.

"Of course, darling," he said with disdain, "we were passing through on our way to Berlin."

"How pleasant," she replied in a similar way.

Lucius took the woman's hand and led her out, he stopped though when he saw Snape.

"What are you doing here?"

"Narcissa invited me over for dinner to discuss Bellatrix," Snape answered.

The blonde woman was rather proud of her lover's intelligence. He knew Lucius wouldn't normally tolerate them alone together. But, if it was Death Eater business, his wife was just as informed as he.

"Of course," Lucius gave him a curt nod and near dragged his tart away.

Only after a few moments had passed did Snape speak, "so that was Camille the bimbo?"

"Yes," Narcissa's upper lip curled back.

Snape smirked at her, "you shouldn't look so disgusted with him. Lucius isn't so caring as to tread lightly around you. He has always been a blunt man."

"Aye, from killing our marriage to dating that…wench to being a Death Eater; he isn't a subtle creature."

Snape nearly laughed but nodded, leaning his shoulder against the door frame, "why am I really here?"

Narcissa cast her eyes to the half-empty tea cup and empty dinner plate. "Sit down Severus."

Harry stood and Snape stopped dead halfway to the couch. He looked at Harry and Harry tried very hard not to glare back.

"What is he doing here Narcissa?"

"Gabrielle, Malika and Desdemona challenged me to turn Mr. Potter into Draco's perfect boyfriend." Snape fell to the ground. "I told you to sit." She said with a shrug.

"You accepted this preposterous challenge?"

"You know I'm a proud woman who cannot refuse a challenge."

Snape looked at his lover and gave her the oddest of looks before standing again. "Is he why you brought me here?"

"Yes, I'm going to St. Mungo's," she said. "I want you to start introducing Harry to the general layout of my son. From his friends to his hobbies should keep you until I return."

"I will do no such thi-"

She stopped him with a smile.

"Fine," he allowed. She gave him a victorious smirk and used all her self control not to kiss him when she left.

"Professor, I-"

"Narcissa is a very convincing woman," he stated, "but I don't know what she did to convince you to do this."

"She promised me my godfather," Harry whispered.

"You're only in it for Sirius?" Snape clarified.

"Yes," Harry nodded.

"That won't do," Snape seated him self on the couch and Harry sat down too.

"What do you mean?" Harry didn't like where he thought the black haired man might be going.

"Draco, _my _godson, will outright refuse anything to do with you if you're not in it for him."

"How would he know?"

"He's perceptive," the man snapped in return. "Can your Gryffindor friends tell when you're lying?"

Harry considered this, "yes, sometimes."

"Draco can tell as well and he will be able to see your liars far more easily. He's grown up with Lucius as his father, remember that. He doesn't allow people near him who just want something from him. Have you met any of his friends?"

"No."

"We'll start with the Parkinson girl." Snape looked for a photo along the shelves and spotted the one he wanted. He summoned it to him and handed it to Harry. "Her name is Pansy Reneva Parkinson." the picture was her sitting in a tree studded in apple blossoms. "She's a gossipy little thing, knows something about everyone. Like Narcissa, Pansy is very easy to open up too, people do so very often. She passes what she finds out onto Draco and the other boys. Pansy is the only girl in this group and most likely she'll accept you first. After you convince Draco that is."

Harry thought she sounded a bit like a bimbo or information station. Though, she did sound nice enough.

"Next would be," Snape summoned another photo off the shelf and a cup of tea. "Theodore Nott." Harry examined a photo in black and white of a thin boy standing on a rock with a faux- warrior stance. "He's the one they sort of rescued." Harry looked up at the man, confused. "Theodore was…troubled, his father is a powerful Death Eater and was under the impression Theo wasn't his. So treated him like any other house elf in their house. You've seen Dobby, Lucius did all that and Lucius is a merciful man, sometimes," Snape added the last word after seeing Harry's expression. "Theodore's mother is a loyal woman, and a hundred times she swore her son was her husbands. He was taken to the Dark Lord and he was asked to decide." Snape nearly shuddered. "He upheld Ariella's claims, but he wanted to keep Theodore."

Harry looked at the Potion's Master, almost not believing this, "Draco, Pansy and Blaise came to the Dark Lord themselves, as ten year olds and somehow managed to get Theo transferred into their protection." Snape took a sip of tea, "It has been so ever since."

"Don't they want to be little Death Eaters too, why didn't they congratulate Nott?"

Snape gave him a disappointed look, "They seen the meetings, they've watched horrible things and they've grown out of the shells their fathers cast for them."

"I-"

"Next," another photo was summoned, cutting Harry off, "is Blaise Ridex Zabini. The wild one, he likes to talk." The photo was the dark haired boy standing on a table in the Slytherin Common Room and dancing. There were two other people up there with him and Zabini turned and threw his arms around Draco, who was dancing with him, they laughed and went on to the endless song. "Blaise or Blaisey as Pansy affectionately knows him is a complete character. He's wretched at potions, if you notice he always works with my godson. Blaise owns more shoes than I believe any other girl in Hogwarts has ever owned. He's a sucker for anyone with a guitar or a love song and he…we'll say he's very loving."

Harry took this to mean he liked hugs or something but the look Snape gave him indicated it was the other kind of loving.

"Oh."

"Yes, Blaise dances and makes everyone do so as well. That picture was taken on a Wednesday night a year ago after a particularly boring day, if I remember correctly. He just turned on some song and the entire of Slytherin was dancing for two and a half hours. I happened to walk in during the middle of that."

"What about these other ones?" Harry looked at Pansy and Theo's pictures.

"That one," he pointed to Theo's, "I believe was taken when they climbed a small mountain in India two summers ago. Theo reached the summit first and pulled one of his odd poses. Pansy is normally the one with the camera so she snapped this one."

Harry nodded, Malfoy was lucky, he'd been to India with his best friends and climbed a mountain.

"Pansy's photo was taken just this past summer when they visited some apple gardens on a Zabini estate in America. That tree I believe was named Chauncey."

"They named a tree?"

"Blaise has a habit of naming things."

"Oh. What about Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Let's see," Snape looked at the photos and spotted one he wanted. Summoning it he handed it over. "Gregory and Vincent are good guys, a little quiet but not as dim as most people assume. They're closer to each other than any of these four," Snape motioned to the pictures. The one he'd last given Harry was of the two larger boys sitting on opposing chairs and playing a game of exploding snap. "I don't know them as well but they're nice enough. Their fathers like them to play body guard to Draco."

"Don't do that much anymore 'eh?"

"No, not really," Snape paused, "what else did Narcissa say to talk about? Ah, Draco's hobbies."

"Yeah, I saw a bunch of trophies for something called Polagerus?"

"You've heard of polo, correct?"

"Yeah."

"It is yes, never yeah, you're wooing a pureblood boy, remember," Snape said.

"Yes," Harry hissed back.

"Very good. Polagerus is just like muggle polo, for the muggle version was started by a squib who's older brother played. Polagerus is played on the back of a winged horse. The club or mallet you play with is a meter long and you hit a snitch sized orange and white ball called the Nip. There are three positions; Catchers, who play with small nets attached to the end of their mallets. Hitters, who have the regular mallets and last are Stealers, the most complex positions, they have both a net on one end and a mallet head on the other. The Catchers, there are three, fly below the other players and catch the Nip as it falls and throw it back to their Hitters of which there are four. Who then hit it further down the field where it is caught again or hit by another Hitter until it is sent into a hoop much like a Quidditch hoop. Stealers, there are two, fly between the Hitters and Catchers, trying to take the Nip away from the opposing team. Stealers can catch the Nip and throw it to another Hitter or Stealer or, like a Hitter, simply send it further down to one of their Catchers."

Harry concentrated on picking up the rules, confused and slightly dazed.

"Get it?"

"No," Harry answered. Snape, annoyed, summoned a book from the shelf. It was the rules of the game. He gave this to Harry.

"Read that," Snape then thought of other hobbies the blonde had, "he plays Quidditch of course. He's taken a shining to the muggle came billiards of recent. You know how to play?"

"Yes, I do," Harry nodded.

Snape thought for a moment his eyes fell upon the studio door on the floor above them, "He also draws."

"I saw the studio yesterday," Harry said, looking up there as well, "he's really good."

"He is," Snape agreed. "Draco has been drawing for… nearly ten years."

"Since he was six?"

"Yes," Snape nodded, "his earlier drawing weren't so good, however he progressed quickly. Lucius hates having an artsy son."

"He's so talented though, how could Lucius hate that?"

Snape thought about it. "Lucius," he started but couldn't think of where to take it, "he simply isn't a father figure."

The silver doors opened, making the two snap around to see Narcissa standing the doorway almost glowing. "Severus?"

Snape nearly jumped up and crossed quickly to her. She looked at Harry and paused, "Did everything go all right?"

"Yes ma'am," Harry nodded.

"I trust you need to write to your friends?"

Harry gave a nod, she was politely telling him to entertain himself for a while. They left and, curiosity got him so he grabbed his invisibility cloak and went to see what was going on.

In the main sitting room of the Manor Narcissa sat down to tell Snape her news. He looked at her anxiously.

Harry snuck in through the open doors just before they were closed by elves.

He moved so he could see their faces.

"What did they say?"

"Doctor Emerald checked it out."

Snape gave her a look to continue.

"We're having a baby," she said in nearly a whisper. Snape took a deep breath and pulled her close. He buried his face in her neck and he felt her start to cry against his shoulder.

"We're having Chael," Narcissa said.

Harry felt very awkward, did Malfoy know his mum was having an affair with his godfather? Did he know his father was sleeping with a bimbo?

Speaking of which, the doors opened and Lucius, a very smug looking Lucius, walked in with Camille, a very excited looking Camille, on his arm.

Narcissa didn't draw away from Snape, she just looked up at her husband and raised her brows.

"Narcissa," he smirked at her, "Severus," he smirked at him as well.

"Something to say Lucius?"

"I'm pregnant!" Camille blurted, nearly jumping up and down.

Harry nearly gasped. Soap opera! He considered the title _All our Affairs _appropriate.

Narcissa didn't seem to upset about this at all.

"Then I suppose I'm having twins, Lucius, I'm pregnant as well," Narcissa batted her eyelashes innocently.

Lucius looked a little peeved. He cast his eyes on Snape and let out a bit of a growl. "Fine then, what are you having?"

"We're not sure yet, only about a month and a half along." She answered.

"I'm six months," Camille said from her place slightly behind Lucius, "am I showing yet?" she turned to the side and flattened her dress against her stomach. There was a slight bulge.

Narcissa quirked an eyebrow, "here I was thinking you'd just let yourself go," it was a smart insult, "but yes, you are."

Camille looked insulted for a second but smiled down at her stomach and cooed. The two on the couch looked a little disgusted by her but refrained from commenting, on Camille at least.

"What are you having, Lucius? A gryndilow?"

Lucius glared at her and opened his mouth but was cut off by Camille, "I'm having a girl." He glowered a little at not being able to get a word in.

"Ah, a girl?" Narcissa seemed a little surprised.

"I've been thinking of the name Camillette for her. What do you think?"

It was a wretched name.

"No," Lucius shook his head. "Her name will be Bidelia."

"High one?" Narcissa asked, "you're naming your daughter Bidelia?"

Lucius nodded firmly, "the name has been in the family for generations."

"So has Nymphadora, but look how the last one turned out," Narcissa said.

"And what do you wish to name your…whatever?" Lucius asked.

They reminded Harry a little of himself and their son. They were always squabbling over petty thing, trying to always get the upper hand. Though, in a battle of wits Draco was more like his mother, who was winning.

"His name will be Chael Kieran."

"You said you didn't know what it was," Lucius said, raising a brow.

"I don't know technically. But I know I am having a son," she said.

Snape hadn't said a word this whole time, which was rather odd for him. However, personally he hated to get in the middle of his lover and Lucius. Though they were very good friends, he and Lucius, there were certain places in the blonde's life he dared not tread. Betwixt him and his wife was one.

"I'm so excited to be having a baby," Camille cooed at her stomach.

Lucius nearly rolled his eyes, "Ca-"

"Camille, dear, why don't you sit down so we can talk?" Narcissa indicated to the area next to her.

Camille got an eager look and her face and rushed to sit beside the upper class woman. Snape stood and he and Lucius looked at each other for a moment.

"Play a game of chess?" Lucius asked.

Snape nodded and they walked off to another room.

"What's it like having a baby?" Camille asked.

Narcissa looked at her sadly, "it's a glorious thing, to have a child under normal circumstances. Draco, my first son, was under normal circumstances. This," she indicated between herself and Camille, "is not normal."

Camille looked sad, "you don't like me do you?"

Narcissa didn't say anything for a second, "I don't dislike you. I don't dislike Lucius either. I can remember when I loved him." she sounded very melancholy, "we went together for two years before we were married. Instead of just waiting till our prearranged marriage you see. We were very much in love and I was so excited to get to spend my life with him. But all that changed. The Dark Lord. Draco. The Ministry. Things drew us apart. I can't bring myself to admit I don't love him anymore, I think I still do, somewhere. But Severus is a wonderful man who adores me and I feel the same way for him. I think he and I will be a better fit than Lucius and I."

Camille nodded and watched Narcissa carefully.

"You won't be happy," Narcissa said rather suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"You won't be happy with his child. Your name won't be on the forms, in the records, anywhere. You won't get a portrait with her. You won't be there when she's accepted to magic school or when she walks or says her first words. You are a vessel for his child not the mother of his child. Lucius, I'm sorry to tell you all this, will not let you raise her."

Camille looked distraught, "but…I-I'm having my daughter so I can do all those things."

Narcissa shook her head, "you aren't his wife. If I could leave Lucius I would, believe me, I would. You could marry him and raise her. But I can't leave him and you can't raise her. If you are lucky Lucius may let you stay as a wet nurse and then as a nanny but she will not know you're her mother. It would go against the custom of raising purebred children with their legal parents, not necessarily biological. Lucius is held to the traditions, so that one is included."

"But Snape will get to raise his son," Camille protested looking very hurt.

"He will, but he is a close friend of both mine and Lucius' and it won't be obvious my son was raised by anyone but purebloods."

"I'm pureblood," she said indignantly.

"Of a different caliber," Narcissa said.

"I will raise my daughter," Camille nearly shouted.

"He will not allow it," Narcissa gave her a hard look and continued, "I doubt Lucius will keep you around at all after her birth. You've served your purpose and unless you can offer him something no other woman can, you're out."

"I won't let my daughter be taken away from me," Camille stood and shook her head furiously.

"She shouldn't be," Narcissa stood and put a hand on her shoulder, "but it is how things go. Sit down and process everything, I'm going to decide on dinner menus for tonight."

Narcissa saw her seated and then swept from the room.

Harry remained where he was, back to the fire place. Before him Camille put her face in her hands and cried a little. Harry, feeling very bad for her, wanted to say something but knew he could not. The door opened and Snape and Lucius reentered.

"What's going on?" Lucius looked at his mistress critically.

"Will you really take my daughter away from me?" she looked at him pleadingly.

Lucius looked a little taken aback, with an almost unnoticeable sigh he spoke, "I have to, if she's to be raised as a Malfoy and future follower, you can't be involved for too long after birth."

**AH! You're the most incredible group of readers ever. This story had over 60 reviews and Bernard is becoming a chubby bunny from all the goodies he's being given by you wonderful reviewers.**

**In most stories for most chapters I don't do this (respond to reviews) but I feel obligated due to how wonderful you all are.**

**Thanks to: **Belle-lover – ATadObsessive46 – Kurai Shinigami – dablksaiyangurl – billy – PinkGrenade – Elektra107 (** you read a lot of my stories)** – checkmarks – volleypickle16 (**you've read a few too) **– Kilikapele. **You all gave very nice reviews, this chapter is to sedate you a while longer!**

Alhera 13-** Bernard thanks you for the carrots.**

XO'MagickMoon'OX**- Chael is Latin while Kieran is Celtic/Gaelic. Do you like those names? I liked them a lot but I didn't know if anyone else would.**

Imigo-** Cutest review ever. I love it, you sound so excited about the story and it makes Bernard and me feel very appreciated. The carrot cake was wonderous, Bernard was distracted and now has a sweet-tooth this size of New Hampshire.**

Kitty Maxwell-Yuy-** Thanks for the lovely tray of veggies, he's been snacking away since he got it. **

SBR**- Thanks for the review and here are the answeres: Draco does know about his mumsy and godfather, this will become evident later. Ron's reaction is written but in the next chapter I post, I hope to have that chapter done sometime soon. Voldemort is a threat, not that I've really made it a point yet, but he is indeed still out there. Draco will find out about Harry soon enough, we have to prep the Boy-Wonder and make him pureblood appropriate. Snape assists in this transformation so you'll see more of him too. **


	5. The Duck for Dinner

**Yay for the new chapter. I'm so excited you all like it so much. I kind of skipped a few days, since going over every single one would bore me, plus even I'm excited about Draco and Harry meeting for the first time. It'll be a little dramatic, I've got it worked out in my head. :reassuring grin: **

**By the way: JKR says that Blaise is black, this is said in the 6th book. I don't believe I've said anything particularly contrary so far, however, I think of him as an olive skinned Italian with slightly long, curly dark brown hair. Sorry, that's how I've always seen him.**

**ALSO: I say that Theodore's mum is named Malika at one point then, when Snape is talking about her, her name is Arielle. That was a major slip up on my part. I totally apologize, her name is Malika since that's the name I've used more when referring to her. Sorry, again, I was being dumb.**

**I'm open to anyone who knows grammar really well and wants to beta the story for me. May as well ask early on and cut down on wretched grammar early. **

**Responses: **

Kyttie, checkmars, Xo'MagickMoon'OX, theTigersFire, ChiKoiDoji, Elektra107, Minagorishi, Rising Pheonix1, volleypickle16, SBR, fifespice, Dangelic Fantasy, Kilikapele, miz, Dezra, Amy-Tonks, Ashes of Stars, Isidoria, aquaverde91 **: Thanks for the reviews and support for the fic. You lot are constant and amazing. :distributes pillows and blankies so you can get comfy and read the chapter:**

**Specific Responses:**

DracoLoverForever**: A special pen! With a field, and a garden full of veggies and a pond and CELIA? You're so sweet, me and Bernard and so excited about his new habitat (Bernard is mostly excited about Celia). They're going to be love bunnies, like Harry and Draco will be soon. Thanks sooo much for the pen, very thoughtful and the best gift.**

Somone**: I'm glad this fic caught your interest, since you're new to the genre or sub-genre I suppose, all I can say is thanks and keep reading HP/DM (cuz it's damn hott).**

Imigo**: Sugar Free Carrots? I didn't even know they had those! Wowzers, a book all about carrots dieters? You're amazing!**

Kaikiki**- Eww, teeth pulling is NOT fun. I get my wisdom teeth removed on the 19th so I'll be a druggy looking for slashy comfort too. Feel better!

* * *

**

:**The Burrow:**

Hedwig arrived with Harry's letter, she perched herself on the window sill and held out her leg to the occupants. Ron took the letter and unrolled it. Fred and George were up from their seat in a second. They read it over his shoulders while Hermione and Ginny waited patiently.

The twins gave each other nervous looks and backed quickly away from Ron. He turned bright red and dropped the letter.

"He's going to date that ferret Malfoy!" Ron yelled.

"What?" Ginny and Hermione adopted shocked expressions.

"Read it!" Ron took it up from the floor and began to pace angrily.

Hermione and the youngest Weasely perused the letter and recognized why Ron was so angry.

"Ron, remember what Harry's said, he's doing it all for Sirius," Hermione went straight to trying to calm him, "it's only a year and it won't mean Harry's always with Malfoy, just sometimes, no worse than if Harry was dating Lavender."

"I can't believe he would agree to this!" Ron yelled and threw open his door and took the step four at a time. He was pursued quickly by his girlfriend, sister and brothers.

"Ron! What are you doing?" Molly poked her head out of the kitchen as her youngest son passed by.

"Getting Harry back," Ron yelled and he went to the fireplace and took some floor powder. He recalled what Mrs. Malfoy had said when she had come, "Dublin Manor of the Malfoy clan."

He jumped in and was gone in an instant.

Hermione, Ginny, the twins and Molly looked at the fireplace in shock, still processing what Ron had just done.

:**Dublin Manor, Sitting Parlor:**

Lucius looked a little taken aback, with an almost unnoticeable sigh he spoke, "I have to, if she's to be raised as a Malfoy and a future follower, you can't be involved for too long after birth."

The fire behind the grate turned green and out flew an enraged Weasely. Lucius drew his wand immediately and pointed it at the intruder. Harry, beneath his cloak, gaped at his best friend and tried to think of something to do. The mere shock of seeing him was enough to stall proper thought for a few seconds.

"What are you doing here?" Lucius asked.

Ron went pale, "I-uh- I must have been rerouted in the system," he said, raising his hands to show he meant no harm.

Lucius glared hard at him, Narcissa reentered the parlor and spotted the Weasely child. "What are you doing here?"

"He was shuffled it seems," Lucius said still glaring at Ron.

"Well, as long as he's here," Narcissa strode over to him, "why don't you tell your mother and anyone else staying at the Hole to come over for dinner. It will be nice to see Molly." Narcissa shot Lucius a look telling him not to say anything, "isn't Mr. Potter staying with you?"

Ron, thick as he was sometimes, caught on, "yes ma'am. But I don't think we should come, I'll just go back to where I was intending, no harm done."

"That would be best," Lucius was sending angry looks at his wife who didn't take any notice.

"Then tell her to stop by for tea tomorrow, you may come along as well." Narcissa said. Ron backed up towards the fireplace.

"Sure, I'll tell mum. Sorry about intruding," Ron lowered his hands slowly and turned to the mantle looking for floo powder, "ehm?"

"Here," Narcissa took the lid off an expensive porcelain jar.

"Thank-you ma'am," Ron tossed some in, "the Burrow," he said and was gone.

"Bit suspicious, how nice you are to that boy," Lucius narrowed his eyes at Narcissa.

"I grew up knowing his mother, they're purebloods, poor but pure," Narcissa crossed her arms over her chest defensively (this made her already large breasts stand out more). "Don't try telling me what I am allowed to do and who I can associate with. I know the kind of ruffians you spend time around, Talon Bridges? He's been to Azkaban more times that anyone else I've ever known. What about Fritz Jeckle? The man with ten-thousand faces? He's a swindler and a hustler and a wretched drunk!" Narcissa had made her point. "If I want to have tea with Molly and her children I may do so and I don't expect any of your bigoted input."

Lucius whirled on his heel and left. Camille, still a distraught about her child, went after him with a determined look on her face.

Narcissa shook the bangs from her face and turned to face the fireplace, "Harry?"

He took off his cloak, "how'd you know I was here?"

"I'm a mother, I know when there's someone else in the room. That and you weren't in the wing so I expected you'd followed Severus and me here."

Harry blushed, "yeah, I-I heard everything."

Narcissa seated herself, "then you must realize this is a situation that is not to be shared with anyone, I ask that Mr. Weasely and Ms. Granger not find out from you."

"Of course," Harry nodded, "does your son know?"

"Yes, he has always known about my affair with his godfather and Lucius' affair with Camille. He knew about Lucius' affair before even I did, though, I suppose there was a reason for that."

Harry awkwardly nodded, "I expect you don't really want to keep training me, being pregnant and all."

Narcissa gave him an almost kind look, "I've been thinking," she patted the seat next to her and Harry seated himself. "I'm going to continue teaching you to be pureblood, not only because of the challenge, but I think it would help your self-esteem. I also think it would help give you strong internal defenses which you will need in the war."

"Thank-you Mrs. Malfoy," Harry nodded and found a very interesting speck on the carpet.

"I also think," Narcissa turned him to face her, "you need a mother figure in your life."

Harry met her turquoise eyes and saw she was being very honest then.

"You mean?"

"I'm willing to informally adopt you and teach you everything I know." She said with a kind smile, "I may even take you on a vacation in these two months we have together."

"Thank-you," Harry didn't know if he was ready for a mother-esque figure like the vixen Narcissa. He had Mum Weasely and he had had his own mother. Was Mrs. Malfoy really right for such a position? Was she the kind of mother figure he wanted?

"I do hope Ronald and Molly come tomorrow so we can get everything sorted out," Narcissa looked at the fireplace.

"'Cissa?" Snape re-reentered the room. He'd slid out when he realized Lucius and Camille would be having _that_ sort of conversation.

"Yes?"

"The elves say that dinner is ready though Lucius and Camille have packed off to Berlin or wherever they were headed."

"Then it's us three for dinner," Narcissa stood and led them into a quaint dining room more intimate than the large, formal one.

It was a delicious spread of foods. A salad with glazed walnuts and a spread of cheeses started things. This was followed by a tiny pallet cleansing bowl of mint ice cream, each course was followed by this. There was a course that consisted of light turkey soup and garlic bread. The main course was duck al'orange on a bed of red potatoes. This was one of the more delicious things Harry'd eaten and he ate quite a bit of it. Neither other person seemed to mind at all or even take any notice as they seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes. The desert was a chocolate soufflé with orange shreds and truffle shreds as garnish.

Harry looked directly up at Narcissa who seemed deep in thought, "Harry, tell me what you think of Draco."

He was caught off guard and had to consider it for a moment before he spoke. "He can be really cocky and his ego is pretty impressive sometimes. Malfoy's smart, that's obvious and he knows what he wants and how to get it. I think he's pompous and kind of smarmy but I guess that just sort of comes with the ego. I didn't know he was an artist, but he's really good and that makes him more dimensional. Like he can be calm and philosophical, like an artist, and then be loud and egotistical like, well, like he is at school. I can't deny he's good looking, most of the school fancies him but his bad attitude makes him less attractive, to me at least."

Harry paused then continued, "he has a really interesting way of handling situations. He seems to be careless sometimes but then it all turns out to have been planned perfectly in an instant. When he picks fights with Ron for instance; it seems like he just says things in passing as they come to him but he really does plan out what he'll do if something happens. But it was all planned in the minute between when he saw Ron and when he spoke. It's weird but really impressive."

Narcissa internalized what he was saying and nodded, "that's good. I can work with that."

Harry didn't really know what to say in response so he didn't say anything.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to have the boy around?" Snape asked.

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Harry snapped, still not particularly fond of the older man. They shared a glare and Narcissa rolled her greenish blue eyes.

"Severus, I've decided to informally adopt Harry and help turn him into a gentleman fitting of pureblood society," Snape turned an openly shocked expression to her.

"Cissa, has your pregnancy driven you mad?"

"Of course not, just because you and James and my cousin and them didn't get along that's no reason to hate Harry. He's not his father you know," she said and drank some of the grape juice she had instead of wine.

"He's more like Sirius than any of them," Snape grumbled and rather viciously stabbed at his soufflé.

Narcissa rolled her eyes for the second time and then looked between the two black haired men at her table and realized they may have been friends a long time ago.

Her Severus was a strong person. He was smart, cunning, a bit of a know-it-all even. He was a good judge of character though she was certain he'd let his past biases interfere with properly judging Harry. Severus wasn't a flashy person, he kept mostly to himself and stayed far from social gatherings. He was good conversation, insightful and slightly unpredictable in what he would say. Severus Achean Snape.

Harry was a strong person as well. He was headstrong yes but he could think on the go, giving him great potential as an Auror. Harry was, like Severus, able to see people for their alternative characteristics, to see deeper than a few words or actions. Though he, similar to what Severus had done, let a bad impression keep him from appreciating another human being. This hadn't stopped him from noticing subtle things about Draco though, Narcissa noted.

Perhaps this little affair was already coming down the line. Narcissa decided it was and now thought of herself as giving it a bit of a push. However, a push was a bit of an understatement, she thought of herself more as strapping it to a firework and shooting it forward.

Perfect metaphor, she congratulated herself.

"Cissa, I'm going to go back to the manor and work on the Cauldron thickness report for the Ministry," Snape stood, kissed her cheek and went to leave.

"Oh, Severus," she stopped him.

"Yes?"

"Come by tomorrow, you can help me teach Harry how to walk."

Snape looked angrily at Harry, "Lucifer knows he needs it," Harry glowered, "I'll be by around ten."

"Thank-you," she smiled at him and he left.

"Mrs. Malfoy, with all due respect, I know how to walk."

"Oh," she turned her smile to him, "of course. But I mean walk like a high society pureblood."

"How do they walk?" Harry asked.

"With an air of," Narcissa searched for the word, "money."

* * *

:**Spain, five days later:**

"Casio and Erik!" Blaise launched himself into the arms of a tall Frenchman who'd apperated near their sprawl on the scenic beach. Casio, the one with Blaise attached to him, was one of the sons of Jacob Nourille of Erapture Inc. the huge media company that was partial owner of Witch Weekly. Casio and Erik were twins, both very tall with leathery skin and almond shaped black eyes. Blaise was their favorite of the group.

"'ello Blaise," Casio swung him in a circle and set him down again. Blaise, almost six foot, was a half a foot shorter than Casio and his brother.

"Hey," Theo and Erik gave each other the usual cheek-kiss greeting.

"We 'eard you four were en town and we could not 'elp but visit you," Casio explained and seated himself in a beach chair that had appeared for him.

Draco stood and greeted Erik, his favorite of the twins, and the reseated himself under a large umbrella with the Slytherin snake on it. He loved the beach but didn't really like getting tan.

Pansy on the other hand could have passed for Mediterranean. She propped herself up on her elbows and examined the pair of Frenchman before returning to her prior lying down position.

"Are you excited about ze Music Festival en Bulgaria on ze twenty second?" Erik inquired.

"Of August?" Draco asked, turning his mercury eyes to his friend.

"Oui, et will be very 'ow you say goot," he added.

"Who's playing?" Blaise asked sipping his Mai Tai.

"Inside Out," Casio said, "zome ozer unknown bands but Billy Idol is performing," he waggled his eyebrows at the Italian who giggled at the thought of the older punk.

"I 'eard zat also ze Cure was playing along vis ze Used and zat band, vat are zey called?"

"Dropkick Murphys?" Casio offered.

"Oui, zem," Erik nodded.

"Will you be bringing Nanook?" Pansy asked Erik. Nanook was a girl he'd met a few weeks earlier in the South of France at an outdoor market. She was a young nymph with icy blue hair and an almost predatory smile.

"I zink she vould like to come," he nodded and blushed a little though it was hard to tell.

"Good," Theo nodded reassuringly. His dark hair was brushed back so as not to leave funny less-tan spots on his forehead. "What are your thoughts on going for a cozy dinner at the Nueva Afombra?"

"Do they serve their Merlot in goblets?" Pansy asked.

"That's them, yes," Theo answered.

"I like that place," she said.

"Sounds fine," Draco said, not really caring.

Casio, Erik and Blaise agreed too. They spent the rest of the day on the beach before finding themselves back at the house, bored out of their minds but playing a drinking game.

* * *

:**Dublin Manor, same day:**

"Potter, must you be so incompetent you cannot even boil water?" Snape was leaning against the stone wall of the potions laboratory in the dungeons of the Dublin Manor. Harry was glowering at a cauldron which was sitting, still as glass and cold as ice.

"Sir, the heater is on," Harry prodded the heating stand again. The flame jumped a little but nothing else happened.

Snape stretched his thumb to one temple and his index finger to the other, hiding his eyes beneath his hand, "try making the flame larger than an inch."

Harry realized how tiny the flame was and he turned it up. Feeling completely stupid but mostly brain-dead from the past week, Harry consulted the book and began to cut the root at instructed.

Ron had visited a few days ago. He and Hermione and Ginny had come over, taken one look at the parlor and backed towards the fireplace again like he'd done. Molly had been escorted into a sitting room by the blonde woman and they'd talk for hours while the kids did the same.

"How it going Harry?" Ron had asked.

"Peachy, she got me more clothes than most people would ever need," Harry had answered, slightly annoyed, "she has Snape teaching me to walk later today."

Hermione had nodded here, "purebloods have a very distinct grace in their walk."

"You think I'm graceful?" Ron asked, knowing she wasn't talking about him.

"Ronald-I," she had stammered, not really knowing what to say.

"I know," he'd assured her, patted her shoulder and then they'd had a three hour discussion on what Harry was going to do while he was at the Manor and how much trouble Ron had gotten in for the move he'd pulled the day before.

Currently he was in his hour long tutoring session. Snape was tutoring him in potions, charms and care of magical creatures. Two thirds of these Harry had no trouble in, however Narcissa insisted he take classes to keep himself sharp during the summer. Tutoring came between an hour of learning how to walk and talk and eat like a pureblood and then a half hour of ballroom dancing. Harry cringed the thought of it. Narcissa was a patient teacher, he'd learnt the foxtrot fairly quickly but the Viennese Waltz was giving him trouble.

Silently he cursed whichever Viennese bastard made up the damn dance. Then he cursed the water for boiling over the sides of the cauldron and scalding his hand.

Damn water.


	6. The Twitching Tigers

**WARNING: Drug references and some allusion-esque things to drinking. Nothing too severe however there will be more in the story to come (not necessarily this chapter). If you are uncomfortable with this topic I apologize, however it's part of the plot. Thank-you.**

:**The Burrow, a week later:**

"I wish Harry would write," Ron sighed and looked out the window for a sign of Hedwig.

"Stop sighing Ron, you sounds like you wish Harry was trying to date you for a year," Hermione said and looked back down at her book.

Ron glowered and searched the skyline once more before walking away from the window, "do you think he's all right?"

"Of course he is," Ginny said without raising her eyes from the Witch Weekly article she was reading.

"How do you know?" Ron asked in a whiny voice.

"Ronald Bilius Weasely if you keep acting like this I'll strap you to a blast-ended skrewt and set it free in the Forbidden Forest," Hermione snapped, "right near the Acromantula settling too," she added.

Ron gulped and silenced himself. He glanced back at the window and saw Pig run smack into the glass pane. With a groan he retrieved the small owl and untied the scroll from his foot. Recovering, the small owl began to dart around and hoot cheerfully.

"Who is it from?" Ginny asked, finally finishing the article.

"It's for you from Neville," Ron said, handing over the scroll with a confused look. Ginny smiled, proud of him for writing her back (she thought he'd be too shy to accept her offer), and took the letter. She left the room rather quickly and read it in the hall.

_Ginny,_

_Thanks for writing me, it was pretty lonely here with just Gran for company. Well, her and her friends, but they're not much better. I've been fine, working in the gardens mostly._

_I'd be happy to help you with Herbology this year, it's not too hard once you get the basics down. Send me a rough copy of your essay and I'll read over it for facts. I can't help you with much else, but Herbology I can do. _

_How are Hermione and Ron and Harry? Good I hope. _

_-Neville Longbottom_

Ginny rolled the letter back up and went to find her essay to send to Neville. She liked Neville as a friend and expected he'd do well this upcoming year. She wrote a quick note telling him how everyone was, omitting the fact that Harry was trying to get Malfoy to date him. She attached the essay and note and sent Pig back to Neville's Gran's house in Wales.

Ginny went back into Ron's room and found Ron and Hermione talking about Draco's mother, Narcissa.

Narcissa Malfoy was a surprisingly nice woman, she let the group visit Harry every Saturday and they could even go to Diagon Alley if they wanted. Ginny had asked about a portrait of a gorgeous young Malfoy woman and Narcissa had readily explain that it was Draco's grandmother, Lucius' mother, Nikita. Hermione had spotted a book she wanted and Narcissa had let her borrow it and a great many others. Ron and Harry had been allowed to play on the private Quidditch field on the Manor grounds. She let them eat anything and even swim in the magically warmed lake by the stables where they kept their Winged Horses, Unicorns, Dark Unicorns, and even a few regular horses.

Ginny had been suspicious of her at first but she found no reason to continue disliking her. Hermione had been harder to convince, but the books had helped as had Harry's constant talk of how genuinely nice she was. Smart, gorgeous, witty and elegant she was the perfect woman to teach him how to be pureblood. Harry even showed them some of the dances she'd taught him. He was able to carry on an intellectual conversation with Hermione now that his tutoring had started to sink in. Ginny was quite proud of the progress Harry had made since he'd left almost two weeks ago.

His birthday was tomorrow and Narcissa was letting him host a shindig a club called the Silver Claw for all of Gryffindor.

:**Barcelona, Spain, the same day:**

"You are the worst human ever!" Blaise screamed and chucked a glass at the black haired boy he'd met the week prior.

"I'm sorry," he yelled back, ducking the glass and it shattered against the wall behind him.

"You will be," Blaise picked up another glass and it and hit him in the arm, inflicting heavy damage.

"Stop it," he screamed and groped for the door, scared to look at Blaise.

"Oh my gods!" Pansy had entered the room and barely missed getting hit by a plate.

"Thank gods," the boy gasped and clutched at her arm.

"What's going on here?" Pansy asked, looking between them.

"He's married!" Blaise screamed and reached blindly back for something else to throw, he grabbed a steak knife.

"And he still slept with you?" Pansy asked, scandalized.

Blaise bared his teeth and prepared to throw the knife.

"Don't let him kill me!" the man yelled and tried to get out. "I didn't think he'd find out, please, I'll never do it again, I swear! Please don't let him kill me!"

"Oh, you deserve what he gives you," Pansy shoved him back in, slammed the door and locked it.

"DIE!" Blaise yelled and chucked the knife at him.

"AIEE," the man threw himself to the ground and began begging for his life as the knife embedded itself in the back side of the door where the man had just been. Blaise sneered and looked over his shoulder where a woman appeared. She gave the man a disgusted look then bestowed a kiss on Blaise's cheek.

"Thanks for helping me catch him cheating," she was the man's wife, he, needless to say, looked shocked.

"No problem," Blaise said, twirling another steak knife in his fingers. "I'll go, you deal with him," he gave her the knife and stepped over the shocked man and went through the door.

"Bloody insane," Theodore said as Blaise entered.

"Marvelous work though, I must say," Pansy applauded him.

The trio of Slytherins stood to Blaise and clapped lightly before sitting back down heavily as though they'd just completed a chore.

"Rat bastards, the lot of you," Blaise said and seated himself the same way.

It wasn't really dignified to flop down or to seat one's self heavily however it was a habit of teenagers. Draco was least likely of the group to flop but, nevertheless he did so quite often. "The only rat we know is Pettigrew," Draco said and took a sip of his tropical looking drink.

The group wrinkled their noses at the thought of the horrible little man, "I don't like him, he tried to hug me once while I was kept at the shack in Transylvania," Theo looked utterly disgusted.

"That was a pleasant shack," Draco said sarcastically. They were referring to the tiny beaten up shed thing the Dark Lord's spirit thing had occupied for the ten years after his first defeat. They'd had to go and get Theo from there when he was held as a youth after the heredity battle. The group cringed at the memory.

"'ello my dahlings," Casio kicked open one of the doors to the sitting room they occupied.

"Hello," the group looked at him oddly.

"'ow do you feel about a party in a veek at ze club Viejo?"

The group exchanged a few words and looks and then agreed.

"Goot, ve've got a dealer and a live band ant a barkeep too," Casio said.

"Who's dealing?" Theo asked.

"Marcus Bevius," Casio said.

They knew the name, he dealt mostly in smoked goods. Pot and the like. Not in MC, the wizarding version of cocaine. It was less addictive with a pretty severe crash but a much higher high with less intake. Blaise didn't care really, he was the clean one in the group, he drank a lot but drugs weren't his persuasion. Theo and Pansy were mild users while Draco was a more common user.

His usage wasn't severe but it was indeed more than the other four, as was his drinking. Though it was understandable with Lucius always around. Pansy tried her best to keep an eye on his habits but he knew she watched and refrained from drinking or using too much while in her presence. Theo didn't notice. He didn't feel it was his place to reign in someone who'd saved his life. Theodore was a side character most of the time. He slid out of the agressor's view when a confrontation occurred or he was just outside the lens' view when the photo was taken. He preferred it this way and it allowed him to see more. He could see more into the less acceptable habits of his long time friends and their motivation for doing those things. Blaise was the clean one, a heavier drinker than they but he kept clear of the drugs for…some reason, the rest weren't sure why. He always had an eye on them at parties or huge gatherings where the opportunity was present. If the drugs were bad for some reason and all three got sick he knew he would be the only one able to set and activate their emergency portkeys to St. Mungo's.

"Bastile and I are going to speak viz him now, ve'll see you there," Casio said in the small silence. He turned and exited without another word.

"I want a cake," Blaise declared and rang for a house elf, all the while receiving off looks from his friends.

**:Unknown Location:**

"I don't really think killing him would do anyone any good," Voldemort said waving at the three men and turned to someone near his arm who was standing half in the shadows. "Draw up a larger map of the Hogwarts grounds and bring it to me by our next meeting. We'll start deciding invasion routes then."

The figure nodded and bowed. A thick door opened and a thin built man walked out, draped in loose, trailing black robes that hung off one shoulder and exposed as span of his long pale leg. His white hair hung loose to his shoulders and slightly into his pale gold eyes. His youth was obvious, no older than nineteen but he was obviously more mature than most his age.

"My Lord," he said, his voice was throaty and slightly accented, "they are in the dungeons, locked in the cells, gagged and tied as you commanded."

"Good," Voldemort would have smiled if cared to, a sinister smirk was all he allowed. "Begin placing the Imperious Curse upon them. Send them to the Ministry to attack. I want as much blood shed as possible."

"Of course," the blonde youth smiled a little and flicked his wrist at one of the lower ranked Death Eaters who scuttled off to do as commanded.

The person near the Dark Lord's arm stepped down the pair of stairs that raised the leader from the crowd of black robed men. His deep black eyes glanced back at the man before he turned back, fully intending to disappear into the crowd.

"Severus," Voldemort stopped him.

"Yes my Lord?" he turned and bowed to him for the umpteenth time that night.

"Lucius says you are having a child," the man said and Severus dared a glance at the man in the crowd, his mask may have been on but Snape knew where he was instinctively.

"Yes my Lord, we believe it will be a son," he answered, sounding reverent.

"He will enter my service," it was not a question or a request but a command.

"Yes my Lord, of course," Snape said, making sure to sound as honest as possible.

The Dark Lord nodded and his horrible red eyes searched out Lucius, "and Lucius, you are having a daughter?"

"Yes my Lord," he pushed his way through and knelt before his master.

"She as well will be in my service."

"Of course my Lord, I wish nothing more for her."

"Good, when they are born I wish to see them quite promptly," he stated, "dismissed."

A symphony of Apperation cracks rose and the room was nearly empty except for the blonde youth, the Dark Lord and the two Death Eaters with whom Voldemort had just spoken.

"I expect you to send me those maps soon, Severus."

"Of course my Lord," Snape bowed again and was given the signal to leave.

"Lucius, you may go assist in the Imperius process," Voldemort waved him off.

Lucius nodded and swept past his nephew, Julian, who was still standing there watching his Master.

"My Lord," Julian said, the words sliding out like a snake, "my uncle's daughter, my cousin, will be of little use to you. Severus and Narcissa though, their child will do you a world of good."

The youth sauntered forward, his hips swinging a little from side to side and the robes trailed over the ground behind him. His pale eyes never left the red ones of Lord Voldemort.

"Are you sure?" he asked, reaching out a bony hand to beckon the youth closer.

"I am as sure of this as I am of my name," he responded and stepped up to stand directly in front of the dark wizard.

He smirked and reached up to pull the youth downward.

**:The Silver Claw, the next day:**

"Oh my god," Hermione said. She clutched at her heart as she entered the upscale club. The walls were covered in scarlet drapery and gold accented everything. White and black were thrown in where necessary to balance out the very Gryffindor theme. A number of other soon-to-be Sixth Years were standing around drinking butterbeer from gold carved goblets and watching portraits of Godric Gryffindor talk to each other.

"It's incredible huh?" Harry rushed to greet her and Ron and Ginny and the twins.

"Yeah," Ron agreed and looked around with his jaw still open.

"Wow, look at these," Fred and found the party bags each guest was given. They included a bottle of butterbeer, chocolate frogs, a small lion that would pace and roar and had each persons name written on its side, and a few other small items.

"Mrs. Malfoy really went all out," George said and he admired a commemorative little gold plaque the size and shape of a business card that read: _I attended Harry Potter's 16th Birthday Party, 31 July 1996, the Silver Claw._ They were impressive.

"She did, I tried to get her to go more casual but she wouldn't hear of it."

"You wanted less?" Ron asked.

"Yes." Harry answered.

"Is she footing the bill?"

"Yes," he said, a little confused.

"You wanted less on someone else's tab? I bet she'd have let you have a live band if you asked," Ron said and earned a hard smack from Hermione.

Harry spotted more people coming in and went to greet them. Narcissa Malfoy was no where to be seen but that was expectable, since having her present would raise a lot of questions. Angelina and Katie entered and their jaws dropped as everyone else had done.

"I'd expect there to be live music at this," Ginny said, joking.

"They're going on in ten," Harry said after consulting his watch.

Narcissa had made a call to a friend who managed the Twitching Tigers, a wizarding punk rock band Harry'd heard a few times and liked quite a bit. She had asked them to play a double set and they'd readily agreed and even let Harry help pick the order of the songs.

"Who's playing?" Hermione asked.

"The Twitching Tigers," he said, not sure she'd heard them. Her jaw dropped and an excited grin took over her face.

"Really?"

"Yes, Narcissa knows their manager," Harry confirmed. Ginny and Hermione shared girlish squeals and then shot an eager look at the slightly raised stage at the back of the room. "Why are you two so excited?"

"Harry," Ginny said, "have you seen the guitarist? He's a total hunk!"

Harry knew him, kind of quiet with a lip ring and one blue eye and one greenish gold one. Yuri was his name though his band mates teased him and called him Urine, in good sport and there was apparently a funny drunk story behind it they didn't care to share with Harry.

"He's pretty cool," Harry allowed.

"You've met him?"

"Well, yes, I got to help pick the song order," Harry glanced to the door and saw Oliver Wood walk in, looking as handsome as ever. He spotted Harry and rushed over to hug his former teammate.

"Harry, how are you? Happy birthday," he said after he'd pulled out of the hug.

"Thanks Oliver, I've been good, how's professional Quidditch going?"

"Great, just great, the owner of the Willington Jaguars just approached me the other day with a good deal, might take it too."

"The Willington Jaguars?"

"New team with great promise, not in the running for the World Cup this year but in a few with good training we may be," Oliver sounded proud.

"You sound like you've already accepted," Harry commented and Oliver blushed.

"I met the team and they're great guys, we worked really well in a test scrimmage. It's a really great opportunity," Oliver said.

"Do it," Harry encouraged him.

"Ladies, Gentleman and Harry Freaking Potter," a loud voice hushed them all and they saw a young man with a black Mohawk in liberty spikes standing on stage clutching a microphone and stand. "I am Jay of the Twitching Tigers and this is my damn band," they apperated behind him, "we're going to play a double set for you tonight so, dammit, dance!" he screamed the last word and Yuri let out a flurry of chords and the music flooded the private club.

It went on for hours.

**Hey there all you wondrous reviewers. I was camping from the 14-18, so sorry that I didn't tell you :ducks sharpened carrots: well, ehem, I'm not going to respond to reviews right now because there's a ban on them. But I've got a petition that's going around if you want a copy email me at mcwfall (at) aol . com or put your email in the same manner in a review. I thank you all so much, please review. **

**:love and hugs from FireStorm, Bernard and his Love-Bunny Celia:**


	7. The Concubine

**I got over 30 reviews for this chapter, which is crazy by my standards, so thank-you all so very much. I don't know exactly what's going on with the review response ban, it may not exist, the petition does but I'm sort of in the dark on what caused it or who made it or what circumstances surround all of it. Thanks so much for all the support. I love the hugs/candies/gifts/everything that I've recieved by reviewers. You're all incredible!**

**WARNING: More drug usage in this chapter. Please don't be too worried about it, it IS leading to the meeting of our favorite two wizards.**

**I just have to say one thing to one reviewers, i wish I could write to all of you, but that's a damn long chapter. I don't mean to make anyone feel left out at all. :sad face:**

**Vytiri: I got the name Kieran off a baby naming web site, sorry if the definition was innacurate. AU means Author's Universe.**

**Okay, here are your bowls of popcorn, sodas and nachos drenched in cheese so you can be full tummied while reading. For you health concious persons (why pass up popcorn?) here's a...radish...:passes out food: **

:**: Malfoy Manor in Dublin, Ballroom:**

"I don't want to learn how to fence," Harry whined as he was dragged into the vast room. It was six ten in the morning and Harry'd only slept for a few hours after his birthday party before getting pulled, half naked, from bed by Narcissa. He'd been pulled down three large flights of steps and down what felt like a mile worth of hallway, the whole time Harry was half-asleep.

The floors of the Ballroom were white marble that crawled up into huge pillars holding the domed ceiling. A set of angels lay on storm clouds over looking the dance floor. They'd always giggled loudly at Harry when he tried to dance. He had the feeling they'd laugh now when he had to fence.

"It won't be that bad," Narcissa said and pulled him into the middle of the room where his instructor, Narcissa's nephew, stood with a pair of foils in hand.

"I'm Julian," he held out a hand and Harry spotted the golden eyes at once. They were beautiful eyes, like the boy, but Harry sensed something else about him, contact with Voldemort perhaps.

"Harry," he took the hand and immediately his scar ached, definitely a Death Eater, Harry felt his defenses go up and he searched the youth carefully, more guarded the before. His sleepiness was completely forgotten.

Julian grinned, showing some of his sharp white teeth, like a predator. His stance was almost cat like, ready to attack. "Auntie thought fencing would give you and Drake more to talk about than just Polagerus, which I hear you're doing more of later today."

Harry nodded.

Ellis was the mare he'd been starting to train on. She was old and gray but steady and she knew the game so it wasn't difficult. Harry had been doing mostly flying on her and some amount of trying to hit the Nip, which wasn't going as well. He found it exceedingly difficult to hit during the short moment it hung in the Hitters area before falling again. Quite the skill requiring game.

"Come along then, we'll start with holding the foil."

It was insane.

Harry was attempting to watch Julian, both to learn fencing and to keep an eye on him, since he was a Death Eater. He also attempted to keep himself from falling, which was incredibly difficult, especially at seven AM.

Another hour and a half later Narcissa reentered as Julian disarmed Harry and put his foil to the Boy-Wonder's throat.

The golden eyed pureblood chuckled and handed back the foil, "you'd be lost in a real duel."

Harry wanted to grumble a response but Narcissa was trying to break him of the habit of grumbling. She smiled at them both and made a point to dismiss Julian. He walked almost entirely with his hips as Harry noticed, quite animalistic. Narcissa was at his side, somehow, he hadn't noticed her there until she spoke.

"He's a Death Eater, I'm sure you could tell."

"Yes, I noticed."

"The Dark Lord favors him greatly," she added and her upper lip curled in disgust.

"Why let him know I'm here?"

"Julian was sworn to secrecy by Unbreakable Vow, the Imperius curse was used of course, but it still works. He can't let the Dark Arse know you are here."

"You're not one of his followers are you?" Harry asked, wondering why he hadn't asked it before. This was mostly attributed to his instincts, which told him she was trustable.

"No, I make it a habit not to bow to anyone," she said and pride filled her voice. "He knows I detest him but he doesn't press me to join. He doesn't trust me enough to have me among them, though I'm far too valuable to kill. It is a fine line Harry."

"Why risk that just to win a bet?" Harry asked, realizing what sort of position she would be put in if her husband found out.

Narcissa cast her blue green eyes to him and regarded him with a trust questioning gaze. She smiled a tiny bit and put a hand on his shoulder to lead him to a sitting room off the main area.

It was small and cozy and well lit, very intimate without paintings to carry conversations elsewhere. Except for a small painting off a Veela woman sitting on a snowy cliff looking sadly over a burning village which she was incredibly preoccupied with.

"I," Narcissa started, "love my son very much. He isn't exactly perfect but his faults are ones I accept. Draco had a boyfriend, about a year ago, whom he fancied quite a bit. A boy named Sasha, very attractive, very kind, well bred. We thought the relationship would live and die without too much drama, Sasha seemed to be the sort who disliked the spot light." she rolled her eyes, "we were quite wrong. He went to the press and claimed my son had him under the Imperius curse for the entire ten months they dated. He said he'd finally broken away from it after being ordered to do all of Slytherin house "favors." Complete lies. He got quite a bit of attention but Draco's the more respected of the two and his story was believed. Good thing too, it could have been rather messy otherwise.

"The point is that Draco's not trusted anyone since then, he hasn't really cared enough, since no one's interested him or kept him. I think you could keep up with him and I expect you intrigue him. You both spend enough time fretting about the other this whole thing was bound to happen anyways. Whether I was involved or not."

Harry immediately objected but was silenced. "You know there's truth in that statement."

He rolled it over, considering the angles and playing out the situation to the furthest extent he was willing. He admitted it was a possibility though wrapping his mind around it being "bound to happen" wasn't something to try so early.

"Now, my son has been distressed this past year, fleeting, whimsical and rather distant. I think it is because of what happened with Sasha. You will do him a world of good, if," she said, "you stop thinking of this as an obligation and consider it more of an opportunity to find your own happiness."

"But everyone close to me is in danger, Voldemort wants them all dead. Why put him in that position?"

Narcissa smiled, "the Dark Lord would not touch Draco. Many of his followers are close to my son, a benefit of being overly social as he is. I believe in my heart that he would not risk losing his Inner Circle simply to harm my son. Julian may do something stupid though."

"You said he was a Death Eater?"

Narcissa wrinkled her nose, "not exactly, he is unmarked….well, he doesn't have the Dark Mark on his left forearm. He bears a magic snake tattoo winding around his arms and chest, a huge python with the red eyes of his Master. The scales of the snake are skulls, a thousand tiny skulls create this hideous creature. Julian is not a Death Eater, not really, he is the Dark Lords concubine."

**:Two Weeks Later, August 15:**

"Dammit Potter," Snape put his head in his hands and sighed heavily.

"What?" Harry whirled around on the spot and glared at the potion's master. He'd learnt to glare properly, a Malfoy glare, he'd learnt the smirk and the sneer and the snarl as well. He'd spent an hour going through them, glare, smirk, sneer, snarl, smile and his face had hurt for a while there after. Though he wasn't as practiced as Narcissa or her son, she said he was making progress.

"You're not supposed to feed a Millternuff meat, they're a vegan species," he said.

Indeed the large gerbil like creature called a Millternuff was gagging on the tiny pieces of meat.

_Damn, the Blootsnout gets the meat, Millternuff gets the salad._ Harry thought and he picked up the small wooden bowl and switched it with the one set before an ugly half toad half fox.

"Much better."

How could he be expected to care for six small, ugly creatures at once? All of whom were picky eaters and completely boring to look at so he didn't really see the difference between the Millternuff and the Loopleque, a similar beast, more like a hamster but still boring.

"Why do these things matter?"

"Obviously you don't pay attention in potions or herbology."

"Obviously," Harry confirmed, he didn't.

"A Blootsnout's legs are used in Dreamless Sleep potions. Millternuff fur can be found in almost every image changing or enhancing potion. A Loopleque's nails are crushed and used to create a paste for cauldron sealing. A J-"

"Forget I said anything," Harry chucked a stick at the black haired man. They were on better terms since they started spending a lot of time in each other's presence. It simply took too much effort to be that mean that much. Snape snatched the stick from the air. He smirked and then dropped the small wood piece to the ground.

"You'll never learn anything."

"Why does it matter when all I have to do is kill the Dark Lord and I'm set?"

"You don't want a career?"

"Not really, it's all quill pushing and politics, nothing I care about."

Snape was quiet for a second, "you could teach Defense."

"No real need for it without a Dark Lord around, 'eh?"

Snape chuckled, something that still made Harry nervous, "give it a generation or two, another one will come along. It's a cycle, like the weather, some winters are worse than others, like Dark Lords or Princes or Knights or what have you."

Harry groaned, "is that really what happens?"

"Yes, it is, most people only have to suffer through one Dark…whatever in their life. I doubt there will be another for a few generations, three at least, but a new someone will find the old phobias and cultivate them in the young. It's a process that repeats itself endlessly."

"So what I'm doing now is insignificant in the scheme of things?" Harry felt rather peeved.

Snape raised his brows, "morbid all of the sudden, aren't you? No, what you're doing means something, see you are a vital part of process. Without you, the Dark Lord would only grow stronger and there would be no end and transitional part. This Dark Lord is indeed one of the worst yet, really his one of the most insane is what's happening there. Without you we can't have a regrowth period. You matter, don't think you don't. Maybe after this one we can start teaching equality."

"You know if someone came right now they'd think you and I were utterly mental?"

"That's true for one of us here," Snape smirked and looked pointedly at the hero.

"I can see where Draco gets his wit," Harry said. He prodded the Jutnuv with his toe as it wasn't moving. "Is it dead?"

"No, it's sleeping to gain energy to keep eating," Snape answered.

"What a lazy bastard," Harry said.

"The Jutnuv is not a lazy bastard. They are lazy though…and rather annoying…so I suppose that does make them bastard." Snape considered for a moment, "In any case-"

"Master Severus?" a tiny little elf appeared wearing a lack shawl as a toga.

"Yes Poobly?"

"Mistress Narcissa is ordering Poobly to send you home. Master Lucius is coming home with the wench. Master Harry is to hide in the wing and read the texts Poobly is putting there for him."

Snape and Harry exchanged looks and went immediately to put the creatures back in their cages. "Go on Potter, I'll take care of this. Do you remember how to get to Draco's wing?"

Harry shot him a look, "of course I remember."

"Then go," Harry dropped the Millternuff into the pen and stood quickly. He jogged up to the stone steps carved into the hill that led up from the field to the castle again. He ascended the stairs three at a time and rushed through the heavy oak door. He sped down the hall past Nicodemus Malfoy who had a number of portraits occupying an entire hallway. He didn't care to look twice at Harry as he passed, being a commoner.

Harry slipped into the wing and grabbed his Invisibility cloak and then exited again. It was between reading about goblin trades and hearing what Lucius had to say.

"Uncle," he heard Julian in a sitting room he'd passed before but never noticed. This was easy to do in the manor, a few hundreds rooms and constant changing of walls and doors and things.

Harry stopped and peeked in through the open door.

Lucius was seated across from his nephew and they were staring each other down, Lucius looking serious and Julian looking like he was playing a game.

"What has My Lord said since the meeting?"

"What he and I have spoken of is none of your concern, dear Uncle," the youth answered.

"If it is about my daughter then it does concern me."

"No, then it would concern your daughter," was the answer. "But no, we have not spoken of your brat."

"Bidelia will not be a brat."

Julian smirked, "if you raise her like you raised my cousin, then she'll be a wee little brat."

Lucius glowered and then Narcissa came in and her eyes filled with disgust at the sight of her nephew. "Julian, why are you here?"

"I came to visit my Auntie."

"Wondrous," she looked disgusted, "go home."

"Oh," he pushed out his bottom lip in a pout, "I was so looking forward to spending time with you."

Narcissa raised her brows, "I was going to speak with my husband."

Julian looked between them and looked annoyed, "I'll go."

He stood and swept from the room after adopting a very smug expression.

Narcissa seated herself and stared directly into her husbands eyes, it was silent for a moment until Lucius spoke, "the Dark Lord wants both children pledged to his service once they're born."

"Bidelia is expected in less than two months Lucius, whatever will you do?"

"Give her to my Lord as I promised, I have no lack of trust in his choice to use her as a vessel of our cause."

Narcissa laughed out right, "if you think that then you are a greater fool than I ever thought."

"What about Chael?" He said the name mockingly, "will you give him over to life with the Dark Lord or let him die?"

"My son will not be harmed when I refuse to give him over. Voldemort has no use of me, but after all these years of defiance he has not threatened me once, you think he will dare to do so now?" Her eyes flared, as though on fire, "tell you Master," she spat the word, "that if he wants my son, he will have to kill me as well and I _know_ he does not wish to kill me."

"How can you be so sure, 'Cissa?" Lucius asked in an overly sweet way.

"I am sure as the sun's rising that he will never harm me, his dear Narcissa," she said and stood, "go take your tart from my home and return to Berlin or where have you. The next time I see you it will be when you deliver "my" daughter to me."

Lucius growled, literally growled, and glared death at this wife. She was defiant of him, staring down her nose in a proud way. Her turquoise eyes emitted such anger from the slight blonde woman that Harry expected Lucius' head to explode any moment.

He stood as Narcissa did and they looked directly into each other's eyes and Harry saw something sad in the Malfoy patriarch's eyes, "I remember when I loved you."

He left the room through a different door that slammed shut after him. Narcissa clenched her fists, her perfect nails biting into her soft palms. Harry saw Snape slip in through the third door and approach Narcissa. He reached out and softly ran a hand over her shoulder. She turned to face him and sighed heavily.

"Did you really promise him to the Dark Lord?"

"What could I have done?"

"Does he really expect him?"

"Not with you involved, I don't think he truly expects to receive our son," Snape chuckled and drew her into his arms. The tension slid from the woman and she laid her head against his shoulder.

"He has no right to my children, no right at all."

Snape nodded his agreement, "what will you do to protect him?"

"What I have done with Draco," she said, "protect him with the most ancient magic in the world."

Snape nodded and held her close. "You should eat something."

"Butterscotch pudding," she answered and this drew a chuckle from Snape, "why do you laugh dear Severus?"

"You hate pudding and hate butterscotch even more."

"He's your son," she answered and crossed her arms at him with a smile.

Snape shook his head again and looked into her eyes, "Chael is our son."

: **Barcelona, Spain; August 19, 12.30 AM :**

"Draco?" Blaise screamed over the thunderous music. Theo had passed out already and he couldn't find Pansy. He prayed to whatever deity watched over him that she hadn't done any lines yet. The club was packed with people, they were drinking, smoking cigarettes and doing lines of MC on the bar and off any flat surface available. It was tainted. Really tainted. Blaise, being the responsible, half-drunk guy he was had used Theo's emergency Portkey and set it to send him to St. Mungo's. He saw Pansy arranging her lines neatly on the bar next to a black haired Vampire who was grinning evilly.

"Pansy!" Blaise rushed to her and brushed the drugs off the counter to the floor, Pansy growled and then looked at Blaise in confusion.

"What's going on?"

"The MC is shite, Theo's at St. Mungo's, we have to tell everyone and find Drake, he has done more than Theo."

Pansy looked shocked, "are you certain?"

"Theo passed out, I'm fairly damn sure," she took immediate action. She pointed her wand at the source of the music and it exploded. Everyone stopped and she climbed onto the bar and looked out over the mass of people. Already the effects were taking place, people looked sick and were clutching their heads and stomach, leaning over and coughing up what appeared to be blood.

"We were dealt taint," she screamed and a roar of anger grew as people saw the effects on their fellows. People who were clean gasped as they realized what was happening only feet from them. Those who it hadn't been affected yet began to panic a little. "You all have emergency Portkeys?"

It was standard for pureblood children to carry one on them and they were easy to set. An affirmative noise rose up. "Get to a hospital immediately, anyone who hasn't done any MC tonight, you help the others. Make sure everyone is treated, we can't risk anything."

They respected the Parkinson girl, she was strong and a good leader and was well liked and sociable. Many clean people took the arms of their friends, found Portkeys and set them. In seconds there was a chorus of swooshing sounds as people left. The room was emptying fast, people searching out the people they knew and helping them. Pansy scanned a hundred times for Blaise and Draco in the emptying room. She saw Blaise in a far corner.

Pansy jumped from the counter top and rushed over. Draco's eyes were wide open and blood shot, light foam had collected at the corner of his mouth, and his nose was bleeding a little. He was twitching and shaking and paler than normal. It was gruesome and unbefitting of the richest heir in the wizarding world. Nothing like this had ever happened before. The MC was normally a little cut, meaning it was part MC part something harmless like sugar but never so badly. This wasn't sugar, it was something much more harmful.

Blaise had reached along Draco's neck to try and find his family crest where it hung from a platinum chain. It was his emergency Portkey. He found it and set it to St. Mungo's.

"I'll take care of the boys, you do your job," Blaise said and he clutched the crest.

Pansy nodded, she knew her place.

She was given the job of tracking down the dealer and making sure he got what he deserved.

**:St. Mungo's:**

"Oh my gods," a nurse screamed as Blaise carried Draco through the front doors. She jumped up and magic'd a stretcher up, paging a doctor immediately. "This is the twelfth one, what happened?"

"Bad MC at a party in Spain," Blaise said and he saw a few other kids being wheeled in other directions.

The nurse shook her head angrily, "you should have been more careful."

She levitated the stretched the Emergency ward, shutting Blaise out. He sighed and knew soon that his mum, Draco's and Theo's would know they'd Portkey'd to the hospital.


	8. The Italian behind

**I'm sorry like crazy about the delay. School's started up again so I do not have as much time to write. I really hope you like this chapter and I'll try and write more soon. **

**The last chapter didn't get as great a response but I hope to have a lot of support for this chapter. We're getting closer to the meeting I swear! Tell me if you have suggestions or questions or inconsistencies or anything. **

**LOOOVE! To the reviewers!**

**-FireStorm00X**

_**:St. Mungo's:**_

"_Oh my gods," a nurse screamed as Blaise carried Draco through the front doors. She jumped up and magic'd a stretcher up, paging a doctor immediately. "This is the twelfth one, what happened?"_

"_Bad MC at a party in Spain," Blaise said and he saw a few other kids being wheeled in other directions._

_The nurse shook her head angrily, "you should have been more careful."_

_She levitated the stretched the Emergency ward, shutting Blaise out. He sighed and knew soon that his mum, Draco's and Theo's would know they'd Portkey'd to the hospital._

: **Dublin Manor; August 19 1.00AM :**

"Narcissa!" Malika hurtled through the fire and screamed her friend's name.

The blonde woman threw open the doors and saw the thin, brunette woman standing in her parlor.

"What?"

"Theodore's at St. Mungo's!" she yelled and threw herself to the couch, shuddering.

"What?" Narcissa pulled her Malfoy crest from beneath her black slip and saw it glowed. "Draco's probably there too."

Desdemona stepped through the fire as well with a heavy black robe over her, she saw Malika and Narcissa's worried looks and understood their children where in danger too.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"We don't know," Narcissa said.

These two women were more stable and straight minded in moments of distress. Malika had the tendency to panic as Theo was her only son and she'd worked so hard to keep him safe. Gabrielle Parkinson stepped through the fire and stopped next to the regal Desdemona.

"Pansy just floo'd to the house and told me what's happened. She's back in Spain sorting the dealer out."

Immediately the women all realized it was drug problem.

"What's happened exactly," Narcissa asked sharply. She didn't approve of her son's drinking or his smoking and definitely not of his drug usage. Now he was in the hospital, again, for it. Third time.

"They were at one of the parties at Viejo," Gabrielle started, "the dealer was one they knew but who was not known with MC. It was cut badly with something dangerous. I'm not sure what yet but something. Blaise Portkey'd Theo and Draco there. They should be all right with some recovery. Blaise barely stopped Pansy from taking some," she added giving a thankful look at the Italian woman.

Narcissa's nostrils flared in anger and she seated herself heavily, it was an exhausting situation. "I think Draco should go into rehabilitation."

The other three women looked at her, slightly confused, "you think that's a good idea?"

"How else will he break his habit?"

There were looks exchanged before Blaise floo'd into the room. He smiled and hugged his mother and the other women.

"Theo's doing okay, he'll be ready for discharge in a couple of days," he kissed Malika's brow.

"And Draco?" Gabrielle asked for Narcissa.

"They're still fixing him up, he looked pretty bad when I found him at the party. They expect he'll recover but after such a close call they suggest rehab."

"I think that's a good idea." Narcissa nodded. "I'll write to the Fatian Centre in Sweden, they'll take him on short notice."

"'Cissa, write for Theodore as well."

Blaise looked between them and nodded obediently. He turned to go back and keep an eye on his friends when his mum stopped him.

"We're going to need you and Pansy."

"What? Why?"

"Why don't you get Pansy and we'll explain it all once you've calmed down a little." Desdemona said and prodded her son through the green fire.

**:Four Hours Later:**

"How would you feel if we found Draco a boyfriend for at least a year?"

Blaise arched his brows, "really?" Pansy was sitting on a large couch with a mug of coffee, watching the older women. The dark haired sixteen year old boy was standing between his mother and Gabrielle who had been pacing with worry before the two arrived.

"Yes, but he's not a pureblood. 'Cissa's been training him since you went to Spain."

"Really? Who? Why do you need us?"

"We want you to help polish him up some more, make him perfect for Draco so he can't refuse."

"Okay…who is he?"

"Harry Potter," Narcissa said distractedly.

She was worried about her son more than about enrolling Blaise and Pansy to help Harry.

"WHAT!" Blaise lost his balance and fell right onto his arse. "You enrolled Saint Potter to be Drake's one-year love?"

"We hope they're realize how obvious it is they're set for each other," Desdemona said.

"Women are mad," Blaise said looking at them all. Pansy snorted, she wasn't surprised. If her speculations were correct, it was a bet gone loopy. Most likely her mother's doing.

"You see it, don't you dear?" his mother asked. Gabrielle knew her own daughter was handling it well but still gave the raven haired girl a tap on the shin.

Pansy mulled it over as her Slytherin brother did. They were sort….absolutely perfect for each other. Okay mostly perfect. They had differences and would obviously have spats but their temperaments complimented each other rather well. They would look stunning together, and their magic, heritage and habits would be complimentary as well.

"I do see it," he allowed carefully. "What do you want Pans and I to do exactly?"

"Make him a little more…Slytherin."

Blaise adopted a sneaky smirk and a very excited sparkle in his eyes, "do I get a present in return?"

Desdemona smirked just like her son, "how does that flat in Los Angeles sound?"

Blaise squealed with joy, "I'll do it!"

"And what do I get?" Pansy asked, eyeing her own mother.

Gabrielle thought for a second about it, "I'll talk to your father about not making you marry Rico Suave."

Pansy perked up immediately, "you'd really do that?"

"Yes, but promise to help the Potter boy," Gabrielle specified.

"Okay, I'll help," she nodded. The prospect of not having to marry a twenty six year old greasy Spanish man was a powerful draw.

"Good."

"Why are we all awake?" Harry asked from where he'd appeared at the doors to the parlor.

He saw the pair of Slytherins, the mothers and Narcissa looking a little peaky and more than a little sneaky. Harry immediately turned crimson, thinking he'd spoilt everything for letting himself be seen by Draco's friends before he was seen by the actual Slytherin Prince. He expected all bets were off and his chance at finding Sirius was gone, filling him with a wretched sinking feeling.

"Harry, meet Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson, they're going to make you…" Narcissa trailed off to search for the word.

"Slytherin," Blaise said. He grinned, showing his sharp teeth, and then looked at Pansy out of the corner of his eyes. "Theo and Fatian will keep Draco busy for," he consulted his wrist as though checking a watch, "a week. That's enough time to give him a crash course in devilishness and cruelty."

"Oi, we're making him a Slytherin not a Dark Lord." Desdemona said.

"What?" Harry gave them very suspicious looks.

"Sit," Narcissa said, everyone did though she was only speaking to Harry.

"Madam, what is this all about?"

She cleared her throat, "I've taught you to walk, to speak, dance, look, move, think and act pureblood. You have been tutored in all subjects, you're a respectable fencer and a talented young man in many aspects. However, I cannot teach you to be a Slytherin, not a modern one as Blaise and Pansy are. That is why you are going to learn from them the finely tuned art of arrogance and wit that surrounds today's snakes."

"Does this count as cheating?" Harry asked, casting his eyes around at the women.

They appeared to have a silent conversation before Desdemona spoke, "no."

"Took you long enough," Blaise said. His mother made to step on him but he rolled away from her heeled foot just in time.

"Wench," she sneered at him.

Pansy rose from her seat and brushed an invisible wrinkle from her skirt. "We have a week, we should start as soon as possible. Get some sleep, at seven we'll begin." She nodded firmly, putting an end to conversation and she glided from the room towards somewhere. Blaise hauled himself up, slightly less pureblood than how Pansy had stood, and then did an imitation of her floaty walk as he left. Harry waved and went back to Draco's wing.

The mothers were left in the parlor, "how can we be so casual when our children have such…troubles?" Gabrielle asked. She knew very well that Pansy wasn't clean, she'd been lucky.

"It's part of our defenses, we don't break down, it's weakness which can never be seen," Narcissa said and picked up her cup of tea.

"Defenses," Gabrielle repeated and took a seat as well. Malika sighed heavily and looked at the green fire. "Can we be assured they're okay?"

"Fatian is the best recovery center in Europe, they'll be safe and cured," Narcissa insisted.

"I just want him to be okay," Malika said.

"We all do, Theo's like a son to all of us," Desdemona knelt before the other woman. "Be strong Malika, we're faced with a lot of problems these days, weakness and worries are not going to help us now."

The Nott woman nodded and breathed in deeply. "Yes, of course." She rose and went to the fire, "I'll be back at the house, perhaps we'll have lunch sometime soon," and she was gone before the others could say anything.

The women left exchanged worried looks.

**:St. Mungo's Hospital, Room 3153: **

"Fatian's Centre for Rehabilitation?" Draco read aloud from the file he'd pilfered from the end of his luxurious bed. He was a high profile patient and was given a special suite to protect his identity and privacy. Theodore had one just down the hall.

"What?" The portrait of Dr. J.R. Eckenstrauss whirled around to blink curiously at the blonde for the billionth time since his arrival a few hours prior. Dr. J.R. Eckenstrauss, according to the plaque beneath his painting, had invented most of the memory spells and charms in existence, but he didn't seem to have a very good one himself.

"Nothing, go back to sleep," Draco didn't pay him attention, instead he began reading through the technical sheets that also occupied his file. Past incidents, treatments, physical check-ups, protective medical spells that had been applied, preventative potions he'd been given as a child. It wasn't a particularly interesting file, medical records never were, however Draco searched for the diagnosis of a mental evaluation Lucius had forced him to have the year prior after his last drug related incident.

Aha! It sat beneath a sheet reading "FOR AUTHORIZED MEDI-WIZARDS ONLY" which meant there was probably a charm on it but Draco didn't much care. Lifting it he scanned the lines for anything of consequence.

…"socially closed off"…"impulsive"…"narrow minded"…the words "very mild depression" had a question mark next to them. Draco decided the whole thing was crap and the man who'd examined him Mr. Krisenkot would be receiving a nasty Exploding Gift Box in the mail very shortly. He then spotted "addictive personality (MC, drinking, smoking)" labeled as his more severe problems. Make that two Exploding Gift Boxes. No matter how true the addiction factor was, Draco didn't like having someone write that about him, as though he were another druggie kid getting high in his basement with some other regular wizards. No. Fuck no. He was Draconis Fucking Malfoy, heir to the greatest fortune in the wizarding world, his addictions were tabloid headlines.

Draco Malfoy did _not_ need some batty old Lithuanian drunkard to diagnose his mental state.

A nurse walked in looking quite peeved, "those records are not for your viewing Mr. Malfoy," she snatched the file and reattached it to the foot of the bed.

"Wretch, if the bloody thing is about me I can read it if I please," he snapped and glowered at her, "get out."

"Mr. Malfoy, you need to show the staff some respe-"

"Go to hell you cow," he cut her off and snapped his fingers to signal the guard outside the room to remove her. She squealed indignantly as she was dragged out.

"Draco?" Theodore wheeled himself and his fluids IV in, staring at the poor women as he entered, "what was that about?"

"She's a wretch, bring me my folder again?" he reached for it.

Theo grabbed it and wheeled up to lay on the bed next to his friend. "What's it say?"

"I was reading the Krisenkot evaluation from last year when the nurse came in," Draco found the page and began scanning again for more reasons to send Exploding Gift Boxes. Theodore leaned over and scanned the page, "looks fairly accurate to me."

Draco shot him a look and chalked up an Erupting Letter too. "That may be true but I do not think Kristenkot is really the man to decide my mental state. I have never trusted the Lithuanians."

"No one ever has, Draco," Theo reassured him though it was completely false.

"How do you feel about school starting up again? Sixth Year and all," Draco made small talk as he scanned the rest of the evaluation.

"I'm fairly excited," Theo knew what the small talk was there for and he disregarded it, giving a conversation killing answer so he could read the forms too.

Snooty little prat.


	9. The Romance Novel

:**Unknown Location:**

"Your son is in Sweden?" the Dark Lord looked through his red slit eyes at Lucius Malfoy. "Why?"

"An addiction to Magical Cocaine, My Lord, he is a young man, adventurous and sometimes ill in his judgment," Lucius answered, bowing low.

Snape stood deep in the crowd, watching Lucius grovel again. Near his arm Julian was standing, pretending to be part of the crowd for a night. Slimy little creep, Snape hated being near this…this nineteen year old creature. He wasn't much of a human anymore, the intense dark magic he'd been studying since seven had corroded his soul and mind into some gruesome, hideous form of mal life. Severus could feel the evil pulsing from him with every blackened heartbeat.

"I think he and his friends will be of use to us soon, young people deeply involved in the social scene may influence the many young purebloods around them, don't you think?" Voldemort admired Nagini as she slid up to lay her head on his shoulder.

"I believe my son will do his share in promoting our cause," Lucius leaned forward more, intensifying his bow.

Julian shifted slightly, tensed and then drew in an angry breath. Snape questioned what was going through him just then.

"Come here, Lucius," Voldemort held out his hand and twitched a finger in the "come here" motion.

"Yes My Lord," he rushed up and knelt before the Dark Lord.

Voldemort leaned forward and hissed something for only him to hear. Julian snarled in an almost animalistic way, leaning forwards as though to break ranks and attack his uncle.

Snape cast his eyes briefly at the youth but looked back when the Dark Lord waved a hand to the followers, signaling for them to depart. Snape felt his mark burn as a signal to stay.

A thunder of Apperation cracks rose around him. Julian, he and Lucius remained.

"My Julian, come here."

The blonde went quickly to the arm of the great chair Voldemort sat in, "why are you so angered by your uncle?"

"My Lord," Julian said sweetly, "I am but a jealous youth, nothing to worry of," he answered.

"I do not believe you Julian," his voice became angered, "What is it?"

"Lucius' son, my cousin, will not support you. Lucius knows this but refuses to acknowledge it. I have seen my cousin at these parties and he expresses his wishes to defect to the Light Side. I know this and would not bear false to you my Lord. Lucius lies when he says Draconis will help, he lies through his teeth!" Julian spat at his uncle. Voldemort turned angrily to the Malfoy patriarch.

"Is this true?"

Lucius paused for a crucial second, "I do not know My Lord, my son and I have not spoken for a long time except for letters that, for safety cannot speak of these things. I apologize my Lord if my son is indeed as Julian says," Lucius flinched in reaction to the Dark Lord's next motion for he assumed it would be the Cruatius Curse. It was not.

"We will get the boy yet," Voldemort motioned him to leave. Lucius did so and Snape glanced about nervously.

"Severus, how is our dear Narcissa?" Voldemort's horrid red eyes fell on him.

"She is well my Lord, her second pregnancy promises to be smooth. The Medi-Wizards at St. Mungo's have told us the child is healthy and nothing should go wrong," Snape answered with a bow.

"I doubt she will willingly give Chael to me," he remarked almost musingly, "do you think she will threaten me with that Blood Magic of hers?"

"I believe if anything happens to provoke her, she will not flinch from doing so," he knew the dangers of truth, but the dangers of lying were far greater.

"What may provoke her, Severus?"

"Anything threatening her first son," he offered, "I believe if there are any murders linked with us she will use her spells immediately, bargaining her life again for her child. The ancient spirits that she channels are deeply influenced by her and will help her if she asks it of them. You remember the ancient spirits?" Severus chanced a glance at the obviously angered Dark Lord.

"I do."

**:April 3rd 1980, Dark Side Headquarters:**

"You can go to hell Tom," she ripped her wrist away from the heavy man hold that arm. She spat his name, literally spiting some blood to the polished floor in the process.

The normally regal Narcissa Malfoy was torn, ragged and unclean but nevertheless she retained a deeply elegant stance and outlook. The very features and build of her were high class and so even in her disgraced condition she was an intimidating creature.

"You know not what I can do to that child of yours," he pointed his wand at her swelling stomach. The child was due in June, her first.

"I know very well what you cannot do to him," she bared her sharp teeth and took a fighting stance though she had no wand. Voldemort almost wanted to laugh but refrained and shot a Cruatius curse towards her. Something blocked the curse and it rebounded from an invisible field and hit a wall.

"What?" he leaned forward, standing from his throne and looking down at her, "who protected you?"

She grinned almost insanely, "many people fear you, but you ought fear me. As you are well aware," she bared more sharp teeth, "the Black family has a history of channeling the magic cores around the world."

"I am aware," he growled, a deep confusion filling him but he refused to express it.

"I am connected to the magic and the souls that guard it," she announced, even her husband's eyes widened. "Harm me and the magic of the world will renounce you and you'll be nothing more than a squib."

He raised his brows and smirked, "I doubt an unarmed woman can threaten such a thing."

"You would be surprised," she smirked.

"Draconis will be mine," he held out his wand to cast the mark onto the unborn babe.

"I curse you Tom Riddle," she screamed in rage, "not with a wand or spell, but I curse you with the very blood in your body, never shall you be victorious as long as I and the children I will bear are in danger by your wand. Renounce your claim to me and any children I may bear." Her voice was threatening, when he paused she went on, "renounce it or so help me Merlin you will die a wretched, inhuman coward fallen to a child!"

The very force of her curse echoed from the walls and thundered through the chests of the men present. For the first time in a very long time Voldemort was frightened. He hadn't even been nervous in decades but now, this-this twenty year old woman was offering up a curse so terrifying to the normal man it had creature like Voldemort frightened.

She shifted as though threatening to enact her curse.

"Foolish woman," he covered his fear, "I'll play along, you and your children may go free. Someday you'll realize what a mistake you've made." He seated himself and waved her off.

"I have not made a mistake dear Tom, but you have made a very wise decision," she smirked approvingly and seemed to fade into nothing. She'd tapped the magic cores and used them to take her back to her palace in France.

:**:Snape Manor, 8.26 AM:**

"Bloody hell," Snape uttered as he reviewed the finale versions of the Hogwarts maps he'd drawn up for the Dark Lord. Severus Snape was rarely one to use such language but it was a situation requiring some a little…unsophisticated. Two days ago he'd last seen the Dark Lord and reminded him of Narcissa's incredibly protective stance on her children. Since then his mark had been pulsing lightly but increasingly annoyingly. He sensed the presence of the Dark Lord trying to see into his mind so the mental blockades were up twenty four hours a day which was slightly exhausting.

Over at the Malfoy Manor in Dublin it was utter chaos. Pansy and Blaise were only half succeeding in making Harry fully Slytherin. Even with a sincere effort it wasn't going as planned. The cunning, sly and witty parts were down but devious was giving them trouble. Severus had decided to spend time at his ancestral home instead of around the Manor, mostly for his own sanity. He was a grown man and fully able to function on his own, perfectly sane and in control, but around Blaise Ridex Zabini he found himself unable to concentrate on anything, much less carry on a serious conversation. The boy was a menace, literally, between diving from a tower into the lake and dancing through the halls to Bon Jovi blaring through the suits of armor it was very hard to get anything done.

It was thanks to Pansy mostly that Harry was growling steadily snakeier. He was conversing with Indigo quite often and had, on his own time, taken to observing her and trying to be more like she was. Indigo much appreciated the attention and was now consistently seen with him.

Blaise though…he was growing a little odd since Draco and Theodore's departure for Fatian. His normally amusing and outgoing habits had dulled considerably in times when not provoked. Normally it was constant but now, something was holding them down, as though he was fading his cold mask back in. This wasn't normally something to worry about but Blaise's mask had never needed such maintenance. It was like a smile or a frown, built into his features and his disposition and this uncharacteristic behavior was something Snape had made a note of, no doubt.

Over his shoulder the Potion's master heard a thud and he turned slightly to see Alexandria, the head maid, standing with a half watermelon and looking shocked. "Sir, I-this was your dinner just a moment ago," she whirled around and looked wildly for someone there, "I, I'm sure it was a silver trey with the turkey and salad and bourbon, I know it," she turned back to him and looked from the melon to Snape.

He looked around his dark study and spotted a huddled mass quivering with silent laughter near the edge of his desk. Rolling his eyes he removed the Camo-Cloak from his student's heads and looked at them oddly.

Blaise and Pansy pouted but recovered from being discovered. "Alexandria, I'll eat later, find something to do with the fruit," he waved her off and she went obediently. Blaise slid up onto the desk and crossed his legs in a feminine way, he examined the maps for a second but stop caring, "evening Sev," Blaise grinned.

"How's it going with Potter?"

They looked to one another then at their Head of House, "interestingly enough," Pansy spoke, "he's quite the little snake boy. He and Indigo get along superbly and…well," she looked at Blaise again. "He told us something," Pansy moved around and sat in one of the chairs before his oaken desk. The Italian slid down and took the other seat, watching Pansy with a little worry.

"What did he tell you?" Snape regarded them, "is it to do with…?" he trailed off, they understood the implications about the Dark Lord.

"I think it's an effect of his original attack on P-Harry," she said, leaning forward as though to divulge a juicy piece of gossip. "He said that the hat, the Sorting Hat I mean," she looked about the dark room nervously, "wanted to put him in Slytherin."

Snape drew back from her a little and frowned. "Are you certain?"

The Gryffindor Golden Boy, a Slytherin? This was a remarkably foolish sounding thing to say. An oxymoron is a group of words that mean the opposite of each other and in Severus Snape's mind Harry Potter of Slytherin was the biggest oxymoron ever, more so even than Jumbo Shrimp.

Pansy nodded solemnly, "I expect it has to do with the transfer of magic that occurred during the curse when he was a baby. I'm not aware of the details of his upbringing and I don't know that it matters at this moment but my gut tells me the basic Slytherin mind set is an influence of the Dark Lord either through the curse or that mental connection they share. Though I doubt it is intention on his part to make Harry a Slytherin."

Severus took this in and thought it over. "I suppose it is possible, do you expect it is doing him any harm?" Snape leaned back in his cushioned chair.

"I don't think so, it is more likely a good thing that he had the mental influence to begin with because now the basic thought pattern is present in him. Being cunning is easier with the pattern," she added for Blaise's sake, he had only tuned back in somewhere around the word "influence."

"You two take this to be some sort of Armageddon, so he's a little Slytherin, the hat is a fuck up, wanted to put me in Hufflepuff for Salazar's sake. Theo said it wanted to make him a Ravenclaw for a second but came to its senses and turned him snake like the rest of us. Relax about it, a little coincidental but it isn't as though they are or are going to become one person." Blaise shrugged and examined something under one of his nails.

"Blaise," they gave him disbelieving looks.

"What?" he saw their looks, "bloody fuck, get over him and the Dark Arse and all that shite, he's not _that_ weird." He paused and took in what he had said, "okay, maybe he is but if their brains are excommunicated then what does it matter? Potty is too high and mighty on his Savior pedestal to go psycho bugger and kill muggle borns. Just because they _had_ a connection it doesn't necessarily still work, and besides, the Dark Dude won't let it either."

Pansy looked at Severus and he looked back, it was the "he has a point but it is Blaise, can we be sure he's sober right now?" look. Snape shook his head a little, "Blaise, why don't you go find a book to peruse while Pansy and I talk?"

He stood, flipped some dark hair from his eyes and swept from the room in a slightly annoyed manner. He found the library for the eight billionth time and sat down in the large blue chair near the window and picked up the heavily dog-eared romance novel he'd left last time he'd visited. The staff knew not to move that book. He opened to his favorite part and fell back into the dramatic lives of Lord Richard Moorestone and Lady Olivia Heartwell, the lovers.

Back in the study Pansy was considering what her companion had said.

"Possible?"

"Possible," Snape allowed it.

"I just didn't think it was something to disregard, maybe it is, maybe it is not, we know it is better to prepare for nothing than be unprepared for something," she repeated one of the many wise sayings the purebloods taught and held themselves to.

Severus nodded and his eyes wandered from Pansy to the portrait over the fireplace.

A stern black haired man stood with his dark eyes with a weighty hand on a teenage boys shoulder, both were turned away mostly but glowered out unmoving from their poses. The woman at her husband's side was not unattractive but she, admittedly, was not beautiful. Her features were roughly cut, jagged cheek bones and chin with a flat forehead and square eyes and nose. Her hair was an odd brown red that was pulled directly from her face only to dramatize her harsh lines. The corners of her eyes were beginning to wrinkle and around her mouth from the constant sneer of superiority she wore.

He thought of his parents now because of the words Ms. Parkinson had said, her mother had once told him that, but only once and his father had rarely spoken to him besides orders and criticism. This was not a healthy upbringing for a man of his mental disposition. Severus watched his mother's rough and slightly uneven brown eyes shift to him as if she knew he was watching her. He glared a little as he did whenever she looked at him. She and his father were both in Slytherin, Tom Riddle's contemporaries and both had expressed a deep dislike of him thereafter. A great motivator, rebellion was. His black eyes skidded from the painting to Pansy again and she looked at him knowingly.

"You know, I can decide what immediate action to take, you mull," she stood and smiled and left.

Blaise gasped as he read on.

_Lord Moorestone took Lady Heartwell in his bulging arms and held her close in the shivering darkness, their lengths pressed close and sharing tantalizing warmth._

"_My love," he murmured and lowered his lips softly to her silken, slightly parted and innocent lips. She gasped as they shared their first, perfect kiss under the full moon which symbolized their full passion and love. _

"Blaise!"

"Fuck! What?" he jumped and whirled around to look at Pansy.

"We're going back to Dublin, come on," she held out a hand for him.

"Okay," he stood and followed her out. Leaving the novel behind to finish next time he stopped by the Snape Manor.

**Okay, I've got Outdoor Education from the 18-22 so no updates or writing or anything:( **

**I love the support that Bernard is getting. He's super excited and growing like crazy. YAY!**

**Fun fact: September the 22 is Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) 's birthday. AND MINE TOO! **

**I turn 16 so I'll be able to drive once I get my license, sa-weet! **

**So review if you want to make me a happy kid!**

**-loove**

**Firestorm00X**


	10. The Recovery Centre

**:Malfoy Manor in Dublin:**

Harry lay on the bed, Indigo curled on his chest almost sort of purring. He stared at the ceiling, wondering why Pansy had had such a reaction to his news about Sorting. Did she think he was an accessory to the Dark Lord? That he was truly evil, the real Harry Potter was evil?

He let out an annoyed breath as he heard the stair case slide upwards. Lucius stepped out sans Camille, he stalked to the door and walked out. Harry awoke Indigo.

"_Master Lucius come through again?" _She asked, raising her head to stare at the still open silver doors.

"_Yes."_ Harry's dislike of the Malfoy patriarch had been growing since he had spoken to Mrs. Malfoy like that. "I remember when I loved you." Harry sneered at the words. Lucius had known what they would do it his wife. She wondered how long it had been since he'd felt anything for her. Had he loved her even when their son was born?

"_Bit angry with him?"_ the snake asked.

"_More than usual, he,"_ Harry glowered to decide how to word his detest, _"he needs to be reminded who he's been hurting all this time. How much harm has he done her beyond just these past few weeks? How much has he ignored her?"_

Indigo thought for a moment and then looked at Harry, _"Master Lucius lives in a marble tower past the ballroom and then some further, perhaps if you get in you may find some clues?" _

"_Show me where it is?"_ He left the wing, not bringing his cloak, and followed the serpent's directions to a large marble door.

Harry knew there was magic protecting it but nothing to preventative. With a few charms (thankfully the Malfoy Manor had ancient spells protecting anyone who did magic within from being seen by the Ministry) the door slid open easily. Inside was a small sitting room with a large window facing the mountain range behind the house. Harry found his way easily enough into the study and he began looking through the desk drawers.

There were ledgers for monetary transactions, letters, Prophet clippings, notes from Ministry meetings, an appointment book, and little else of interest. That is, until he reached a thin drawer between one of files and one of quills and parchment. Drawing it open he saw the white Death Eater's mask sitting on the blank wooden drawer bottom. Nothing special about it. Harry reached out and picked it up, shocked, and raised it to look more closely. The white porcelain surface was faded a little, more ecru now than ivory. The lips were painted black and closed tight but smiling a little in an almost doll-like way. The eyes were almond shaped and curved up some at the outside tip. A chip, small but present, sat below the right eye near the edge. Harry traced his fingers over the smooth and slightly worn forehead, magic bristling with his touch.

A red light ringed the eyes and before he could do anything Harry felt a tug behind his navel and the world spun away from him. Harry instinctively covered his face with the mask and found himself in a crowd of men in all black with white masks on. The lightning shape scar on his forehead seared but the Gryffindor didn't let it show as he stood in false calm and confidence in the crowd. No one seemed to take a second glance at him. They were occupied by starring around at each other, whispering worriedly about the unusual form of summons.

Harry heard two men near him speaking.

"Looks like only a fifth the usual number are here," said the first, a very tall man.

"Aye, only us with our masks always in our possession were called, perhaps the most faithful are whom he was searching for?" offered the second, an older, squat Scottish sounding man.

"Perhaps, but…is Snape here?"

The Scotsman looked around shortly, searching out the Potions Master, "I can't really tell, look, Julian is though, expectable," he motioned to the youth with distaste. The boy was standing on the raised platform, his golden eyes washing over the crowd slowly.

"Julian doesn't leave the Dark Lord's side, you know that," the first said back, sounding either disgusted or annoyed by it.

Voldemort walked out from a blackened door into the huge, dark stone hall, his black robes hanging around his skeletal form. "My most…dear followers, I've called you select few here," he seated himself in an almost casual manner, "for an important task."

Julian slid closer to the Dark Lord, almost in anticipation of the words to come.

"Severus," he motioned him forward and the dark man stepped up. "Begin planning the routes for invasion." This was said in sort of a hushed voice, "You will take control of the hostages and send them to the Ministry headquarters, distract them while the real attacks occur. I've decided that we should be ready by winter, the seventh snow," he said with darkness in his snake like voice. Harry realized the significance of seven. That was normally about Christmas, perhaps earlier. That was so little time.

"I think there's a traitor in our midst as well," Voldemort said then and smirked from beneath his hood. Harry saw the men flinch towards their Dark Marks which meant he was calling the entire gathering. Most men pulled up their hoods and those Apperating in didn't seem worried about having or not having their masks present, just the hoods up was fine it seemed for this meeting. Harry sank deeper into the crowd, watching Julian, watching Voldemort, watching the Death Eaters around him, trying very hard to stay calm and not succumb to the terror building within his chest.

Voldemort stood and stepped out onto his platform, raised well above the assembly of dark cloaked men. He reached out a hand, fingers bent around his wand which was held out to find this one person. He started and moved over the crowd, magic slipping out to find the person, behind their mask or in a shadow. Harry sensed it touch him but his mental shield was so well in place it went passed without trouble.

The Dark Lord found who he wanted and a strong whip of magic reached him, paralyzing them to the spot. It was the old Scotsman who'd expressed his dislike for Julian. A wide circle expanded out from around him, the tall man who'd spoken with him looked shocked and fairly betrayed, eyes wide beneath the stark mask as he backed away.

Harry slipped farther into a corner, less worried with what was happening in the centre of the circle than with how he was going to get out of the massive ballroom. He could apperate with Snape, if only he could be found. Harry slipped passed some large men and saw a dark haired figure standing with a large scroll of white parchment under his arm, he'd just appeared from a side room where he must have been drawing out plans. Harry walked over and, under the cover of a scream from the Scotsman, spoke to him.

"Severus?" he asked in a rough whisper.

Snape turned to him, his brow creasing and that look of disgust on his features, the one he gave everyone. "Can I help you?" he examined the mask and upon close inspection he saw the chip by the eye and knew it was Lucius, "Lucius, what is it?"

"It isn't Lucius," Harry said as a new curse was sent flying.

Snape drew back from him a little and Harry, eyes fixed on the pre-occupied Dark Lord and his concubine, slipped the mask off a little to show his scar and black hair. Snape's eyes shot open. Harry put the mask back into place and turned slightly away from the crowd. "I know! Help me?"

Snape sighed in something like desperation and nodded, "of course." He watched the Dark Lord for a moment and Julian at his side. "We'll wait until everyone is dismissed, though it could be quite a while." He cast his eyes to the old man.

"What if you just ask to…you know…leave?" Harry said, panicking though it didn't serve him.

Snape looked at him seriously, "calm down…Lucius, we can't panic right now. Stay calm and enjoy the show," Snape turned to where the Scotsman was writhing on the ground in pain.

"Enough, kill him and deliver him to the ministry," Voldemort waved his hand, having gotten bored by them all.

"Yes My lord," they nodded, Snape grabbed Harry and they apperated away with the group of others. Harry had the sensation of being crushed, but only for a second before they appeared in the foyer of the Snape mansion.

"Tell me how the hell you ended up at the meeting," Snape let go of Harry's arm and looked at him almost accusingly.

"I-" Harry stopped to collect his thoughts for a second, "I was in Lucius' tower at the Dublin manor, I found his mask and it portkey'd me to the meeting. I didn't mean to end up there but I did."

Snape frowned, "why were you searching through his desk?"

"I was mad at him for what he said to Narcissa the other day, I wanted to-to I don't know but I wanted to know how much he's hurt her, what he's done to her since they've been married. She's been so good to me that, I wanted to try and help her."

Snape looked at him sadly, "that's none of your concern Harry, 'Cissa can more than fend for herself."

Harry looked back at Snape, trying to read him as Narcissa had been trying to teach him to do, "Professor, magically I'm sure she could win, but don't you think all the verbal abuse he's been putting her through is starting to have an affect on her psyche?"

"I seriously doubt she's having mental troubles because of Lucius' petty insults, you've heard them fight I'm certain, she's yet to loose."

"Battles of wit, no matter if you win or loose, you still get hurt, I know that much," Harry responded, "things he's said have made impressions on her, you can't think she's ignored all his words over the years."

Snape turned away from him and ran a hand through his dark hair, "leave it alone Harry," he pointed vaguely towards a room where there was a fireplace, "floo back to the Dublin manor and we'll speak again tomorrow for your tutoring."

"Yes sir," Harry left, angry at the older man's ignorance. How could he not care about Narcissa? How could he not see it?

"Malfoy Manor in Dublin," Harry threw the powder in more harshly than needed and disappeared through the green fire.

"I was just looking for hi-" Pansy stopped when Harry came through the fire, "there you are-"

He walked right past her, brushing ash from his cloak and back to Draco's wing. Pansy looked to Blaise and they went after him, looking around for any sign of the patriarch as they sped through the halls.

"Potter, are you all right? Bit pissed it seems," Blaise said, jogging down the stairs after him.

"Go away," he snapped, opening the silver door to Draco's wing. Pansy flew past him and slammed the door shut.

"Woah there Boy-Wonder," she breathed hard, "Camille's in there saying good-bye to Lucius, you don't want to be in there right now."

Harry glared, his hatred of Lucius grew, he had the nerve to act like that woman was his wife more than Narcissa. _I'll make sure you rot in Azkaban, Lucius, rot like the scum you are._

**:Fatain Rehabilitation Centre, Sweden:**

"Get the bloody hell off me," Draco pulled his arm from the grip of a large half-troll guard.

"Mr. Malfoy, you must calm down, we're here to help you recover from your addictions to magical cocaine and alcohol, you have to let us help you," a nurse attempted to take hold of his hand.

"Stay away from me," he snarled, "I'm going home," he strode away from her, Theodore jumped up and followed him, wide eyed to the guarded flooing room.

"You're not allowed to leave," the woman yelled, running after them and signaling the guard. They drew their wands and made to stun the two.

Draco rushed the guard and took his wand, he whirled around, stunned the woman and broke open the door to the room. Theodore went after him, to the large fireplace.

"Where will we go?" Theo asked, looked to where a commotion was growing outside. More guards and medi-wizards were probably coming.

"Wiltshire Manor, go," he handed Theo some powder and stood ready to attack anyone who came through the open door.

Theo disappeared through green flames and Draco stunned another few wizards before escaping himself, dropping the wand as he went. "Hurry, to the tower," Draco took him from the parlor where they'd appeared. Draco knew they'd follow them, or try to, and so he took Theo to the part of the Manor most heavily guarded, where only those of Malfoy blood could enter.

"Woah," Theo stopped him, "what the hell are we doing?"

"Escaping psycho rehab workers," Draco said, looking at his friend oddly.

"No, I mean, we'll just get sent back next time we screw up," Theo stopped Draco before he could interrupt, "and we will screw up again, we always do. Drake, think of what this is doing to your mum, to my mum. I-I think that if we're not going to go to a rehab centre to quit, we still ought to. You know, so we wont die too young or anything."

Draco leaned his shoulder against the wall and though it over, "I suppose giving up MC will be the best thing to do, and cutting back on drinking and perhaps on smoking," he admitted. "It won't be easy though," he looked at the floor, "we'll need Pans and Blaise to help us."

"They will, they _are_ our best friends you know," Theo smiled, "we should tell our parents."

"Yes," Draco conceded, grudgingly.

The reason he even used drugs or got drunk was to get away from his father's hatred for his mother, to leave their fighting and trivial anger behind. To forget he was the Malfoy heir. To forget he was alone in his position. To forget he was all alone.

**Sorry x a billion million for the huge delay in this chapter. School and homework and little inspiration made Bernard a lazy rabbit. Please forgive ((much bowing and groveling)).**

**You're all incredible and I love you and will update again. The next chapter will hopefully have the first meeting of our heroes, and perhaps the opening feast.**

**Love-Firestorm00X**


	11. The final days of Summer

**:Malfoy Manor, Dublin:**

"WHAT!" Narcissa Malfoy whirled around, snarling at the figure in the door.

"Good gods mum, calm down, you'll have an aneurism if you're not careful," Draco slid into the light and looked oddly at his mother.

She adopted a shocked expression, "Draco, when did you get back?"

"Just now," he seated himself in a chair, "sit mum, I wanted to talk to you about these problems I've got, sort them out and…figure on what we'll do about them."

"I know what I did, I sent you to Fatian and you obviously broke out," she sighed, "did you bring Theodore?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"I didn't want to get better their way. I know I'm sick, I'm addicted, I know I'm a lot of things I shouldn't be. Forcing me to sit in meetings five hours a day and read redundant books about how nothing helps and friends and family are far better than any substance. I know," he ran a hand through his hair, he knew it wasn't exactly perfect, nor was his complexion, there were dark bags under his eyes, a slightly yellow coloring in his cheeks and some bruising on his jaw. He sighed and continued, "Theo and I decided to do as the books said, turn to family and friends to recover, so we broke out. I'm certain this isn't how you wanted to see me recover but I think it's best for me, to be at home with you and Sev and Blaise and Pansy and Theo."

Narcissa looked to the corner where she knew Harry was, he'd been there for an hour while she spoke with Julian. Then she looked at her son, his grey eyes watched her for some signal she wasn't angry. With a small nod she patted the couch beside her and he moved gracefully to her side.

"If you're certain this is the best way for you to get better then I can do nothing but support you."

Harry watched the dark figure enter the room, stepping into the light he saw the fire light hit the white skin, sliding up to reveal the sharp but perfect features of the Malfoy heir. His grey eyes under thick dark lashes, but they were preceded by dark circles, exhaustion or…something worse? His jaw was bruised, Harry didn't know from what but he didn't like the new purple-blue color of it. His cheeks had that yellow tint, unhealthy as though he wasn't fed properly. Draco's white hair was a little oily, hanging oddly around his eyes and down his neck.

Narcissa nearly staggered backwards in shock and Harry himself felt a gasp try and surface. What was he doing back? Harry was supposed to have until at least platform nine and three quarters, at latest the Welcome Feast. Pansy and Blaise were planning a meeting on the train, deciding on details including seating arrangements. If Malfoy knew he was here everything would be spoilt. He would know it was planned. He would find out Harry had spent a month in his house. He would find out it started as a bet, a bargain. The entire thing would be unraveled, Harry would never be able to help Narcissa or be friends or even acquaintances with Snape anymore. Blaise and Pansy would refuse to admit they had any hand in it, being Slytherins and all.

So he stood there, waiting patiently and listening while Malfoy-Draco- explained his internal situation. The emotion he expressed, the concern for his future, his mother's feelings, his friends, it was all rather enlightening.

Draco was relieved when his mother consented to his form of recovery and he put his arms around her, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Tell me how things have been here."

Narcissa leaned back and rested a hand on her stomach and thought of how to tell him, he waited for her to speak before he prodded her once, urging her to speak. "Well?"

"Draco you know that Severus and I have been having an affair," she said and looked into the storm colored eyes of her son.

"Of course," he confirmed and then saw where her hand was placed, "you're having a baby?"

She nodded and watched his eyes widen dramatically, "I'm going to be someone's brother?" she nodded again and watched as he blinked a few times, his mind whirling with the thought. "Is that really a good idea?"

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked, sort of defensive.

"I do not mean that you and Severus shouldn't have a child, by all means go right ahead, I simply worry that I'll not be good influence. Really, I just broke out of rehab, I look like trash, and I do not think that I'm a wondrous person to be around a new baby."

Narcissa nodded, "Do not worry Draco, Severus and I know you'll be a wonderful brother to Chael."

"You've named it?"

"Him, and yes, we have."

"How long have you had it-him?"

"Nearly three months," Narcissa then also remembered Camille, due in three, "your father is having a daughter."

"What?" Draco snapped his head up to look at her, "he got that whore pregnant?"

"He did."

"A daughter?"

"Yes."

"I go sixteen years without any siblings then in just a few months I'll have two," he wrinkled his nose, "what's he naming her?"

"Bidelia."

"High one?" Draco asked, wrinkling his nose more.

Narcissa swatted at him, "don't do that, you'll wrinkle."

He batted her arm away, "he's so full of himself I can show distaste whenever I please," Draco answered then smiled sneakily. "Where are they?"

"They were in Berlin but now they're headed to York for a few weeks before she's sent to the Sur La Plage to relax before she gives birth."

"How long till she's plops?"

"Don't use that language Draco, it is much too crude," she said but couldn't hide a smile, "three months or a little more."

"Wretch," he sneered and stood, "I think I may clean up, you relax, is Sev here?- call him over, make him work for his baby."

Narcissa laughed out loud at this and shoo'd him away, "he's reading I think, send him over will you?"

"Yes mum," Draco kissed her cheek, "I love you," he left then.

Harry immediately stripped off the cloak, "what will we do?"

Narcissa looked at him blankly for a moment. "What? Oh, yes, I suppose you'll be moved to Wiltshire, Lucius won't be there and then you can floo to King's Cross on September the first. Blaise and Pansy will owl you the details, there's not much else to be done this summer." She appeared to think for a moment, "or you could go back to the…the Hole, is it? And stay there with your friends."

Harry nodded eagerly, "I'd really like to see Ron and Hermione and Ginny before everything about school starts again."

"Well then," she stood, and looked for a moment after her son and then called on an elf, "gather all Harry's things from the Draconian Wing and bring them here in his trunk, immediately and do not let Master Draco know what you're doing."

"Thank you Narcissa," Harry hugged her, a protective feeling swelling in him as he held the slightly taller woman in his arms. She hugged him back and smiled softly. In July she had but one son, now she had three.

**:Flashback, September 1st of Draco's First Year:**

"Bye mum," he put his arms around her slender waist and hugged her close under the glaring eye of his father, "I love you," he smiled up at her but was suddenly dragged from her embrace.

"You are a young wizard, not a new born. Do not cling to your mother, get in the carriage and get out of my sight," he hurled the young boy into the black coach drawn by a pair of large black unicorns. He slammed the door shut and nodded curtly to the crippled goblin that drove. It moved off down the stone path towards the huge iron gates at the front of the property.

Narcissa grabbed his arm and spun him around, "you heartless bastard, he was only saying good-bye to me," she screamed, furious.

"He must grow up, we're to go to war soon Narcissa. He can't be a useless little sack of flesh any longer, he _must _grow up." He shouted back.

The voices carried to the coach which drew their son towards his first day at school. He heard them yell and felt that sort of sinking guilt of causing all their problems. Draco vowed to never be so childish again, and then he drew about himself the cold and untouchable exterior he had perfected.

**:End Flashback:**

Six years ago and not until just moments ago had he said again that he loved his mother. She did not doubt he had loved her for these past years. He'd been too scared of his father to say it though. Narcissa hoped sincerely that he had fully outgrown a fear of Lucius that it didn't linger in the back of his mind whenever he had a decision to make. If he did fear Lucius then Harry had been taken from his true friends and family for nothing.

"Mistress Narcissa, we is bringing Master Potter's things here," the elf scooted the trunk forward and bowed to her. She nodded and shooed it away,

"I will, perhaps, see you at the train station," she smiled at him, "be sure to write, and," she added, "tell me how everything is, classes, professors, everything. I'll send you the photos from your party and some sweets each month so you don't feel forgotten," she said and hugged him once more. "Now get out of my manor," she lifted her gown a little and kicked the trunk towards the fire.

Harry laughed and hauled it up into the large fireplace, "see you in a few days," he planted a kiss on her cheek, received a warm smile in return and then he was on his way.

**:The Burrow:**

"OI!" Fred screamed and buried his face in his hands, he screamed again and groped blindly for anything to throw at his younger brother and the girl in his arms. He found a book and hurled it at the couple. They immediately parted and turned scarlet, straightening their clothes.

"Fred," Ron called over the din he was making, "it's all right, calm down." He went over to his brother's side and tried to make him stop throwing things.

George rushed in and looked between his two brothers and Hermione, who was incredibly focused on a piece of lint on her skirt. "What the hell happened?"

"Those two were snogging," Fred yelled and then grimaced.

"What?" George whirled around on them, "you two finally got together?"

Ron made a sort of flabbergasted noise.

"Yes, we did and we'd appreciate you two not making such a ruckus about it," Hermione said stiffly and went directly to Ron's arm.

"Why not just tell everyone?" George asked. Fred was still holding the Viktor Krum statue from the World Cup a few years that he'd grabbed from the side table threatening to throw it at a moment's notice.

"We don't know how everyone will react," she answered.

"She says as if people don't know you fancy each other," Fred put in.

"It's true, everyone knows," the group turned and saw Harry sitting on his trunk in front of a merry little fire.

"Harry," Ron leapt to his side and hugged him, "we didn't expect to see you until the train, what happened?"

Harry laughed and patted Ron's shoulder, "I'll tell you as soon as you explain what possessed you to finally snog 'Mione."

She turned scarlet and grudgingly hugged her friend, "you're a prat Mr. Potter."

Harry could only laugh again in response as he hugged the twins as well, "how's everyone been since…gods two weeks ago, seems like forever, so much has happened."

"We got a new idea for a product," Fred said and they all sat down in the living room.

"They're Skeeving Snack boxes but better," George added.

"We're thinking of making one that gives you convulsions, but they would wear off after a minute since you can't really eat while spasm-ing," Fred said.

Harry gave them an odd look, "are sure that's a good idea, sounds quite creepy," he said.

The twins shared a look, "you'll see. It's not too bad."

Harry nodded, conceding to the idea, "what about you two? Anything else been happening, school work, Quidditch practice, anything?"

"We got Hermione up on a broom yesterday, she nearly freaked out and fell off but it was hilarious," Ron attempted to restrain a laugh at the thought. Hermione glared at him but said nothing.

"Ronald!" Molly came in, stirring something in a large bowl, "get in here and-HARRY!" she dropped the bowl to the floor and ran straight to him. "My god it's so wonderful to see you, what happened? Why are you back so soon? Are you all right? My dear come into the kitchen we'll get you some food."

The group walked into the kitchen and saw Ginny sitting on the counter looking at them with wide eyes, Neville was there as well, quite the surprise. Harry greeted them both with a wave. "Tell us everything Harry."

"Malfoy showed up at his house again so, of course, I couldn't stay, Misses Malfoy said I could either go to Wiltshire or come back here. Of course I wanted to come here and stay with you lot. Malfoy is pretty interesting when you pay some attention to him. He's an artist, did you know?" Harry smiled at the obviously shocked looks he received.

In the piles of pictures, in the thick, ancient sketch books and hidden under a box of paints and brushes there was one sketch of Harry. He'd found it while looking through all the artwork on a free afternoon. Harry saw it; he was sitting under a tree at the edge of the lake in the rain sometime last year. Draco hadn't turned him into a different person or made him hideous, if anything he made Harry more attractive than he really was. Harry had spent more than a half an hour looking at it, examining every line and even the tiny water spots on the paper, perhaps from the rain. Harry remembered it perfectly and still thought about why Malfoy would ever be compelled to draw him.

"What else?"

Harry recounted learning how to be Slytherin, basic Polagerus rules and learning to ride a pegasus, he told them about fencing and dancing and learning French and tutoring and how Snape was that big a bastard anymore. They recounted stories through dinner and well into the night before Molly sent them up to bed around eleven.

**: King's Cross, 1 September :**

"Do you have any idea where I put my bag?" Draco looked around the Bentley for any sign of the leather messenger bag he had brought with him.

"Did you put it in the back with your trunks?" Pansy looked around as well.

"Oh, this is?" Blaise lifted himself off his seat and pulled the bag from under him, "it is mighty comfortable Drake, thought I'd use it as a cushion."

Draco snatched it from the other boy and looked to make sure none of his reports were wrinkled beyond comprehension. The group filed out the door opened by a decrepit old man

Their trunks were loaded onto trolleys and pushed by wizard porters to the gateway to the platform and then loaded onto the train. The four meandered casually through the muggle crowds, unrushed and calm.

"Look, the Patil twins," Pansy motioned them over and the girls did. "What have you two been doing all summer?" she asked.

"We were with our family in Brunswick for most of the summer, look at these boys we met," Padma drew out some pictures and the group admired them, "very nice," Pansy commented with a giggle.

"I heard there was a huge post World Cup party just South of there," Draco said.

"There was," Parvati confirmed as the group began to move slowly towards the platform again, "I didn't see any of you at the party or the match, where were you?"

"Spain," Blaise responded, "we were considering going but decided not to, it was obviously going to be one-sided. I'll never know how Lebanon got to the World Cup, their Chaser tactics are based entirely on dumb-luck and sheer resilience." He shook his head at the thought.

"It was, Chile dominated unquestioningly," Padma nodded.

The group nodded along knowingly and began to discuss the Chaser tactics for the South American victors. Ahead of them Harry was standing with a very large group of Gryffindors talking about his birthday.

"I loved it Harry, still can't believe how nice it was," Seamus said and leaned against the barrier, smiling as Dean held his hand.

"Thanks guys, it was a lot of fun to see you all. That's the first time we've seen each other during the summer isn't it?" he answered.

"It was," Lavender Brown said, she turned to look again for her friends when she saw them approaching in a growing group of Slytherins. Blaise, Pansy, Theodore and Malfoy had just been joined by Crabbe, Goyle, a trio of Seventh years and a crowd of females, all focused on Malfoy. His white hair was longer than it had been at the end of last year but Harry had seen it at its current shoulder length. "Padma, Parvati," she nearly ran to them, blushing furiously when Malfoy looked at her.

He turned to sneer at the Gryffindors when he saw Potter. He paused and looked him over with a mask of distaste. Taller than fifth year, the wild black hair was still there but the eyes weren't covered by the horrible glasses of yesteryear, this time they were more flattering lenses, they gave him an intelligent edge. Something about how he stood was different, something Draco expected of a pureblood, it was casual, careless and saturated in pride and power. How he held himself was different, he didn't seem like a rat off the street or from a dungeon. He seemed more like he was ready to walk into a dinner party, surrounded by the old patriarchs of the purebloods families.

Draco curled his upper lip back in a sneer and walked right through the barrier, the group of snakes following immediately. Harry immediately filed away the long pause Malfoy had taken to look at him. This was, hopefully, a good sign.

"What was that?" Pansy slid up beside her friend.

"What was what?" Draco asked, in a bit of a bad mood, he was contemplating why the Gryffindor was so intriguing to him now. What was it that had changed?

"That pregnant pause you took to stare at Potter," she said, "we expected you to say something, to even cast a glance at the crowd around him but apparently that's not how you operate anymore."

Draco turned on her, "you know something."

Pansy dropped her jaw in shock, "what?"

"What happened to Potter this summer?"

"I haven't got-" she stopped when his gaze intensified.

"Tell me, I know something happened and you know what."

**This is kind of a long one and there's more of their meeting to come but I'm laying ground work here people. I hope this came up in a timely fashion and all. Since I had no school today I was able to write more.**

**Bernard, Celia and I say thank you. Review please.**

**Oh man I was looking at fanart today and it's super pretty, I wish I had some. Yes that is a desperate plea to a good artist to make me happy and draw perhaps a seen from this or one of my other fics. It sounds desperate and need and selfish but it would probably make me the happiest author alive. **

**-FireStorms00X**


	12. The Train Ride

_Draco turned on her, "you know something."_

_Pansy dropped her jaw in shock, "what?"_

_"What happened to Potter this summer?"_

_"I haven't got-" she stopped when his gaze intensified._

_"Tell me, I know something happened and you know what."

* * *

_

"Drake, the train leaves in two minutes, let's get on," Blaise spun him around and they walked onto the train, the Italian looked over his shoulder at Pansy and made a menacing face, Draco wouldn't drop the subject.

They found the dark compartment they'd used since first year. It was deep in the train, near the back, where only Slytherin was ever seated. They ensconced themselves, conjuring up tea and warm rolls, even a chessboard before they began talking again.

"You were saying?" Draco looked at the female.

She smirked at him, "all I know is Potter party over the summer, it was in July on the thirty-first I think, at the Silver Claw. I heard it was quite the event, all the lions were there and the Twitching Tigers played a double set for him. I know we've never seen him there before nor at any of the shows. I think he got himself a few connections in our territory, expected you wouldn't want that."

"Potter was at the Claw?" Draco frowned and considered who would let him in there, it was mostly an upper class pub, the women gossiped in the smoky back rooms furnished in old black wood chiffons while the men stood in the main room talking in hushed voices about money and politics and evil deeds. Who would let Potter in there? He was the savior but he was still a middle class prat. If all the Gryffindors where there then the Weasel clan was present and no one in their right minds would let that lot in, unless someone quite influential made it worth their while. But that would call for someone on the order of his mother or father. Draco knew Lucius wouldn't help the Boy Wonder for all the gold in Gringots and the world. His mother…she was a philanthropic woman but that didn't mean she would throw some weight around just so Golden Lad could have a party. If Narcissa was involved there had to be something she was getting out of, something major. Potter had nothing his mother would want though.

"He was," Pansy nodded.

Draco wrinkled his nose, "find out who the hell let him have a party there, see that they're fired," he said and watched Pansy make a note of it on a small sheet of parchment.

"What do you have against him exactly?" Blaise asked with wrinkled brows as he moved a rook across the chessboard.

"You know very well Blaise, he refused my friendship, humiliated me, we can't just let that go."

"That was six years ago," he said with a groan. Pansy and Theo nodded in agreement, "maybe you should let it go and…focus on, I don't know, schoolwork?"

Draco scowled, "I don't need to, O's in everything," he said pointedly raising his brows at Blaise, who'd only accomplished four OWLs to Draco's seven, and Pansy and Theo's six. Blaise shrugged and took Theo's bishop.

"Doesn't mean you couldn't focus more, you're lucky McGonagall likes you as much as she does, otherwise you'd only be getting an A," Pansy said.

Draco turned to her, "I'm a wonderful transfigurations student," he said in his own defense.

"Oh really?" she smirked.

"Don't start with me," he said and drank some more tea.

A figure, blurred by the smoky glass, appeared on the other side of the door. It was a male, tall, nearly six foot, and sort of broad, not Crabbe or Goyle sized but well enough. The figure was panting and moving a little, looking down either hallway, caught between decisions. Draco looked at them for the second before he opened the door.

Harry Potter slipped inside and shut the door again behind him, "sorry," he said immediately, looking as though he'd just run a long way without stopping. "I'll go," he said with a painful breath and made to leave.

"Wait," Pansy stopped him, suspicion in her eyes, "what's wrong with you?"

He closed his mouth for a second, to prepare his words as he'd decided on them a while back.

The train groaned and shuddered and began to move forward, the sudden motion threw Harry to the seat next to Draco. The blonde jumped and nearly dropped his tea cup as Harry landed rather ungracefully next to him on the dark seat.

"What the hell?" Theo stood and opened the door, he leaned out as obviously many were doing, glaring towards the conductor's car.

"See anything?" Blaise asked, his eyes had stayed locked on the chess board the whole time.

"Just a lot of First Years quivering in their knickers," he responded and shut the door again.

"What was happening that made you burst into our compartment?" Pansy asked, still looking suspicious. Draco looked her over for a second then turned to the Boy Wonder sitting next to him, panting a little.

"I was standing with the Gryffindors when a bunch of reporters from the Prophet and Witch Weekly and them ran up and started asking all sorts of questions. Then the others all started blabbering about how nice it was I got to spend the summer as a normal kid, with my friends," he said in a mocking voice, "I had to near punch someone to get through the barrier even, wankers, all of them."

"What? Are you not in the mood to be famous today Potter?" Draco asked as though talking to an angry child.

"I don't want the media anywhere near me, sure you can relate," he said, ignoring the barb.

"They are sharks, bit of blood in the water and they're on you," Blaise said, putting Theo in checkmate.

Draco snapped his head to glare at the other boy.

"Why's it such a big deal for you to spend a summer with your friends?" Pansy asked. Draco turned on her, shocked they would converse with him so readily.

"I normally stay with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin in Surrey but this summer they didn't want me there anymore so I got to stay with Ron and his family. That was nice and all, I do wish the accommodations were nicer," he added a bit sullenly.

After leaving the almost gross luxury of the Malfoy abode, the Burrow was hard to get used to. The hard bed, the cold floors in the morning, creaking stairs, dust and dirt, cramped quarters and three bathrooms to six, sometimes eight people. Harry had to admit it was a step down.

"I'm certain, where is it they live?" Blaise asked.

"It's called the Burrow, Dumbledore had a field day decking it out with protection spells and trackers and defense orbs and secret portkeys and all that," Harry said.

Blaise and Pansy chuckled. "He gets sort of nutty about all that, doesn't he?" Pansy said between laughs. Draco looked between his enemy and his friends as though he'd just been betrayed in the most gruesome of ways. He glared at the wall and drank his tea in enraged silence.

They continued discussing media and Dumbledore for a good few minutes before Pansy poked Draco in the arm, "honey you're going to break that poor tea cup if you keep holding it like that."

"Shut it Pansy," he snapped.

"Malfoy," Harry turned to look at him and grudgingly Malfoy turned to him as well, "yes?"

Harry knew the reason Draco disliked him, the humiliation all those years ago, Pansy and Blaise decided the only way to start this game was to go back over and give Draco no reason to soundly hate Harry. This meant extending a hand of friendship in exchange for the one he refused six years ago.

"Would you like to be my friend?"

Draco dropped the tea cup and it fell to the floor where it rolled, the tea leaking out onto the dark rug.

"Pardon?"

"I know I said piss off when we were eleven but, honestly, we were eleven. I want to be your friend now. We're sixteen, we're maturing, so we can be friends even though our houses don't get along, right?"

Draco looked at him for a long moment. Then he turned his eyes to Blaise and Pansy and Theo. The former two had surprise on their features, not the heart-attack kind of surprise but more of a pleasant but unexpected visit from an old friend. Theo looked ready to clutch his chest and fall over. Draco then looked down at the hand Harry was offering him. He observed it and considered. What good would it do him? He could find out what made the Boy Wonder tick. He could show the Gryffindor kids he was just as good as they were. He could make waves in the Wizarding world by being "the bad influence." He could do a lot of things. But the conviction was only half there, it was so engrained in him now to dislike Potter that the idea of befriending him was a little hard to wrap his head around. Perhaps, with two new siblings coming into the world, it would be best to not have any enemies in high places.

After a tense and nervous moment Draco took the hand and shook it, "right." He agreed.

Harry was surprised to feel how soft the blonde's skin was, warmer than it appeared and smooth as a perfectly hewn piece of ivory. Harry nodded firmly and smiled in a sort of casual, proud way, as Narcissa had taught him.

"How did you ever become mature enough to realize you wanted him as a friend?" Pansy said.

"There's a war going on and I'm certain that Dumbledore will make us be friendly, probably part of his master plan you know," Harry said, he meant to go on but he saw something in Draco's eyes. It made his breath catch.

Nothing he'd seen before could match it. Somewhere between suspicion and admiration but that was only on the surface of the swirling grey eyes. Underneath there was some other emotion, perhaps it was just the light but it looked almost as though Draco was gazing at him. Gazing in the way a thirteen year old girl would gaze at a poster of her favorite Keeper or musician. It was hidden, there was that mask there, of just someone observing another person, but Harry had spent a long time practicing with the portraits in the halls, with Severus and Narcissa, he felt himself fairly talented at this. His heart gave a shudder, happy, his plan was working but it was less about the plan now, a little more about understanding why the Malfoy heir did what he did, what made him tick. It was starting to tread on an obsession.

The eyes he was looking into were storm-like, not just the color of them but they seemed to move as though caught in a high wind, and it was mesmerizing and a little disturbing at first. It seemed to Harry almost a defense mechanism, if there's something distracting, the deeper emotions won't be seen. But they'd already been caught and so Harry left it alone.

"I expect Dumbledore's going to start resorting people," Pansy said with a nasty tone. Harry left his reverie about Draco's eyes and nodded the affirmative, "I wouldn't be surprised."

**:Compartment 14:**

"I can't believe he ditched us," Ron said with a sour expression.

"Ron, he's trying to date Malfoy, it's going to take some work. Let him be, once he and the prat are dating then he can split his time more effectively between _them_ and us," Hermione said. She wasn't all together fond of the Slytherins but she respected them as people and knew that Harry was still trying to get his godfather back. That motivated her to help the plan along by keeping Ron under control.

"I can't believe he ditched us," Ron repeated, ignoring his girlfriend.

"Shut up Ronald," Ginny said, she was staring at a sheet of notes that Neville had written for her.

"You shut up," he responded and slid further down in his seat. "Why do you think he accepted?"

"We've been over this Ron," Hermione said and looked up from her book, "Narcissa's going to find a way bring Sirius back, that's why Harry's doing all this, it is all for Sirius. You think if he had a choice he'd have spent his summer with the Malfoys? You think he'd do this if it wasn't for Sirius?"

"No?" Ron said, not sure of his answer.

"Exactly," Hermione nodded.

"But-"

"Shut it Ron," Ginny said again, more annoyed than before.

"What's with you Gin?"

"Nothing," she answered and stood, crumpling the notes in her hand as she stormed out.

"What the hell?" Ron leaned out to see Ginny walking towards the Hufflepuff sections.

"She probably still doesn't understand Utherliss conversions," Hermione said with a bit of a sigh.

"What conversions?"

"We learned them last year in Herbology, you use a teaspoon of their nectar in a pint of Dreamless Sleep potion, a tablespoon in a quart and a fifth cup in a galleon, it's very complicated. Especially because a galleon of Dreamless Sleep potion also require Utherliss leaves. In that large a dosage it needs extra magic." She said.

"I don't get it," Ron shrugged and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Hey guys," Seamus entered the compartment, "did you know Ginny just punched Ernie Macmillan in the face? He was picking on Neville for being a Herbologist and she got real pissy and then just knocked him in the nose, he's gettin' fixed up by a couple seventh years right now."

"She what?"

Hermione stood, making Ron fall backwards until his head collided with the cushion and he made a distinctly pissed noise. "She knocked him good, she an' Nev are talking in forty-four but Ernie's still hold up in thirty with those couple seventh years." Seamus jabbed his thumb in the direction of the other compartments.

"Thanks, I'll go sort this out," Hermione left while Seamus and Dean slid into the compartment, "good thing she fell for it," Dean said and smiled, "Ron, we're planning to crash the ball, need you to contact Fred and George for us. This here is a list of stuff we need, they send us that we'll pay them straight away."

Ron sat up and took the list, he read it over, "why don't you just contact them yourselves?"

"McGonagall would get suspicious if we got boxes from their shop, not you though; you're their brother, no suspicion there. Please mate? We'll owe you one," Dean said, pleading.

"Yeah, all right, not much time till Mione gets back and knows you lied, best shove off before she gets back," Ron said with a glance to the door.

"Thanks again Ron," they stood and slipped out.

Not two minutes later Hermione reappeared, "where is that lying Irish weasel? Ginny's sitting with Padma and Parvati in twenty seven, Ernie said he hasn't seen her all ride and Neville isn't to be found," she said haughtily.

"Seamus went off to find someone else, said he had some notes to get," Ron lied and patted the seat next to him. "You hear about that big ball that's coming up?"

"Of course Ron, I'm Head of the planning committee," Hermione said.

"Then you're going," he said with a smirk.

"Yes," Hermione gave him a sly smile, "are you asking me to go with you?"

Ron turned to her and leaned in, "I am indeed."

**:Compartment 75, Slytherin Section:**

"I have to admit," Blaise said as he beat out Theo again, "this has been a nice train ride."

"It has been nice to not worry about getting interrupted by fan-girls," Harry said with a smile. Draco nodded next to him and Harry felt his cheeks flush a little at the approval. Quickly though he regained his self confidence and reminded himself to stop being a school girl and be a guy. _Act like Draco's nothing but your mate, not like you're trying to date him or that you've been seriously considering the fact that you fancy him. _Harry thought to himself.

"It's been nice to not worry about having to seek you out to make fun of you," Draco said, "could have done it from the comfort of my own compartment if I wanted," he added, looking out the dark window to the bright castle on the hill.

They laughed, Harry a little nervously, "what are you doing for the big ball coming up?"

"The Gryffindor shindig?" Blaise asked, "We don't attend such things, really it's not worth going to, straightedge, bad music and dry," he said.

Harry looked at them quizzically, "we've decided to have a night of drinking and chatting in the Common Room." Pansy said.

"Oh?"

"The lower years are going to bed early, fifth year and up are staying in the main room to talk about politics and discuss general schedules and ideas. It's a Slytherin custom," Theo said.

"To get drunk and talk a lot?" Harry asked.

"Exactly," Blaise grinned. "At least you won't be dancing."

Harry laughed, "The Yule Ball was a bit of an …experience," he said and received nods from the group.

"Watching you was rather amusing," Malfoy said and they nodded again.

"You watched me Malfoy? That's a bit stalker-ish," he said and smirked.

Malfoy raised his brows at him, "it was hard not to watch you, bumbling across the floor for the Champions dance."

"Woah there," Blaise grabbed the railing near him as the train near stopped dead. Malfoy, Harry and Pansy were thrown to the floor in a heap, yelling angrily. However, Harry wasn't so upset he landed with a blonde half on top of him.

"What the hell?" Theo stood, climbed over them and leaned out the door, he gasped and slammed it shut. "Death Eaters," he said and used his wand to lock the door. He looked at Harry and then Malfoy and then turned his thoughts to himself. "We have to get out."

"Go," Harry stood and used his wand to blast out the windows.

"I'm staying," Malfoy said, "Theo, you, Blaise and Pansy all get to the castle, warn Severus and Dumbledore. Start blasting windows in other compartments too, get first and second and third years out, quickly. Fourth and above can handle themselves for now. Get other prefects to help you," he drew his wand and nodded to Harry, "let's go."

He opened the door and they jumped into the hall. Farther down they saw Death Eaters, robes, masks and all throwing open doors looking for someone.

"_Cescarpus!"_ Malfoy yelled and a black jet of magic hit on of them. They did not even have time to react to the boys before the attack started. The Death Eater Malfoy attacked fell to the ground in a twitching heap.

Harry shot off spells and used a shield for himself and Malfoy. Death Eaters screamed, these were the two they'd been looking for the whole time. Spells bounced off the walls and hit the floor, charring the carpet or the odd unconscious body. The small group that had infiltrated their car was down fairly soon but the other Death Eaters had been alerted to the fight and appeared within moments.

The constant use of strong magic was wearing on him a bit and this was not at all in the plans for winning over the Malfoy heir. A "crucio" came straight at him, shattering the shield and whizzing past his ear. Harry, shocked, gave them the split second they needed to fire another Unforgivable at him and the blonde. This one was not one you could recover from.

Draco watched it come at him and his instincts took over, he grabbed the boy wonder and pulled him to the floor, it singed his hair but otherwise he was unscathed. Draco stood, enraged that they would dare attack him like this. "_Eteneralis Majora!_"

The group was flattened by a crushing force, they squirmed and attempted to breath but the pressure forced the air from their lungs. Some of them passed out quickly and Draco lifted the curse. "_Petrificus Totalis Morova,_" Harry said as he stood, recovered, all the Death Eaters were petrified and he breathed a sigh of relief.

_Why did I freeze like that?_ Harry asked himself, worried about loosing it with a Killing Curse coming at him. Would he freeze when fighting Voldemort? He hadn't in Fourth Year but that didn't mean anything now, two years later. _Why did I freeze? _Harry shook his head and turned to the heir. "Thanks for the help Malfoy," he said.

"You're welcome," he nodded and then frowned, "are you all right?"

"I think so," Harry touched his head and leaned against the wall, "I can't figure out why I froze, if you hadn't grabbed me I'd be finished for sure."

Malfoy nodded, "probably just a death wish you have," he said. "There's the Headmaster, he's probably already had the Ministry contacted. These men will be taken care of."

"Boys, are you both all right?" Dumbledore hopped over the bodies and went straight to them. Snape, who was just a little behind, began removing masks and conjuring ropes.

"Yes, we're fine, just a bit shaken. How'd they get on-?" Draco stopped suddenly and grabbed the wall, he looked to be suffocating. "Help," he gasped.

Snape snapped up and ran over, he caught the blonde and lowered him to the floor. "What's going on?" Harry yelled.

**This chapter is mighty long, 'eh 'eh. Don't you loooove me? Yeah, sorry it took so long, I wanted it to be extra cool. I'm really glad that you haven't abandoned this fic even though updating is slow and irregular and you've probably all got schoolwork to do but you still read this and I love you for always for it.**

**Bernard and Celia are very happy about it too. **

**They love you. The boys have something to say as well:**

**Harry: You're all quite wonderful, thanks.**

**Draco: When do I get shagged?**

**FireStorm: Later, I am trying to maintain a plot here.**

**Draco: I want to get shagged.**

**Harry: That can be arranged. :tackles Draco and they snog:**

**FireStorm: NOT YET! NOT YET:grabs laptop and digital camera: Okay, go.**


	13. The Hospital Wing

_Snape snapped up and ran over, he caught the blonde and lowered him to the floor. "What's going on?" Harry yelled._

"I don't know," Snape looked more afraid than Harry had ever seen. But there was not any time.

"He needs help," Dumbledore stated and grabbed the Potions Master, "come with me."

Harry watched as they ran off, Malfoy held in the black haired man's arms. Pansy screamed behind him as she saw what was happening. Blaise grabbed her arms, restraining her from following.

"You did this!" she screamed, turning on Harry. "To hell with trying to be his friend, you just wanted to progress your little Light side objectives," she was hysterical, whirling and twisting to break from Blaise's grip. "You attacked him I know it! What did you do? Help him, save him or I'll kill you myself!"

Harry backed away from her, highly worried that Blaise would simply let her go. "I didn't do anything to him, I swear it, we were just trying to-and- but then- and Dumbledore- we- I- I didn't do anything," he answered, adrenaline hurtled through his veins and he could tell this wouldn't end well.

The black haired girl screamed, but this time in fear she backed into Blaise's arms and Harry felt someone's presence behind him.

"Foolish boy," Harry turned to see a huge man, cracked white mask falling away, leaning over him with a dagger, the same or similar to the one used to cut his arm in the graveyard. He raised it high and, with a cry of triumph, thrust it into the space behind Harry's collar bone, just next to his neck. Harry screamed grabbing the hand to try and keep him from pushing it in deeper.

The sensation of blood spilling over him was sickening and at the same time Harry felt it drift away from him as it began to affect his mind right away. The man fell backwards as a spell hit him, the face appeared as the last visages of the mask shattered. The very tall man who had spoken to the traitor Scotsman before the meeting of Death Eaters, only a week ago, lay before him. This man must have been called after the meeting and assigned the job, given the dagger, a team to attack with.

_Is this what you're reduced to Lord Voldemort? Attacking me physically because we cannot fight magically?_ Harry thought bitterly before he collapsed to his knees, the dagger's cold black handle still protruding horribly from his shoulder.

"Damn you," he muttered, the edges of his vision swirled, just as Blaise came into view.

"Good gods," Blaise had reached out to touch him, the black cloak hid the growing amount of life that ran onto them. The carpet of the train aisle began to stain and darken around the Savior of the Wizarding World's knees. Blaise retracted his hand immediately and stared in completed horror at the blood he had pulled away.

Pansy screamed again somewhere in the background.

Footfalls thundered as the train floor caught him, not softly, as he fell forward at the feet of Blaise Zabini.

The Death Eaters, both afraid for their lives and eager to give the news to their master, were struggling like fat, immobile inch-worms, wriggling and crawling where they lay. All but the tall man who had stabbed him.

That man lay motionless, no breathing moved his chest.

Harry's vision was comprised but he retained some vague thought.

He worried that he failed Sirius, Ron, Hermione, the other Weasleys and the world. His friends, Remus, Tonks, Snape and Mrs. Malfoy even, they were all compromised now, because he was not fast enough, he was not good enough.

The footfalls were almost deafening now. He felt someone grab his numbing arms but the motion caused him to loose the world completely.

**:Hogwarts School Hospital Wing, 2.29 AM, September 13th:**

Harry inhaled sharply, breaking the charm used to keep him breathing. He felt the air singe his dry throat and slip into his lungs, painfully.

There wasn't sunlight yet, only a white line that crossed the floor from the window at the far end of the Hospital Wing, it cut the room in half, between the two occupied beds.

With enormous effort Harry forced his eyes to open and he saw a swirl of dust above him. Had he been collecting such a layer this whole time? Harry of course assumed he had been saved by Dumbledore and Pomfery, the poor woman must have been going mad to save the two boys at once. Regret edged into his emotions as he thought of what the woman must have gone through. Harry searched his fog shrouded mind for any recollection of what happened.

The tall Death Eater had escaped his bondages and stabbed Harry. Immediately he wanted to check the wound but found he could not move his right arm nor could he feel it.

Panicking he turned his eyes towards the right to search for the appendage. He saw it lying faithfully beside him and he was then able to see the clean white bandages wrapping it firmly to his side and the bandages circled up around his shoulder and chest. Harry inhaled another time and knew why it was so painful to do so on his own, the bandages allowed incredibly little motion, including expansion for lung function.

Without a second thought he reached up to touch his scar but stopped halfway. His hand looked very different, almost deformed, was it truly changed or was it the novelty of seeing it for the first time in so long that made it strange?

Hopefully the later as Harry seriously disliked the idea of being mutated by stab wound.

"Mr. Potter?" a voice reached him over his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"You're actually awake?" Madam Pomfery moved from her quarters, lighting torches along the wall as she approached. The light made the concern, astonishment and wonder in her eyes visible.

"I am," he nodded and grinned, this took some effort but he did it nonetheless.

"How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened?"

"My throat's real dry," he said and she conjured some water, carefully assisting him drink, "I remember being stabbed but I can't really feel my arm, what's wrong with it?"

The mediwitch cast her eyes to the limb, "it's extraordinary really, the stab wound destroyed the muscles and nerves that control your arm. I've been giving you potions to rejuvenate them. I think with a just a few more doses you'll be back to using it rightly. You'll have a nasty scar from the stab and probably have a little restricted movement in this arm but otherwise I'm expecting you to be fine." She sounded quite bored with the whole thing, as if she'd either said it a lot or it was something that happened every day.

Harry gave her a quizzical look and she laughed a little, "I've told you that same thing ten times, you wake up for a few hours, do the same thing and then fall asleep again. Then you don't remember a thing. I do hope this is the final time that happens, it's rather worrisome."

"I can imagine," Harry said, worried himself.

"You're still far better off than Mr. Malfoy," she assured him, though it did not do much good.

"What's wrong with him?" Obviously Harry had not taken an interest in Malfoy the other times he had been awake.

"Oh, well, we're not sure exactly. Just won't wake up. Snape wants to perform a Legillimens to find him and make him wake up but Dumbledore won't allow it. Snape's planning to come in some night and do it alone, dangerous thing, but he's willing."

"How long have we been asleep?"

"Twelve days, it's just become the thirteenth, you were attacked on the first."

"Is everyone else okay?" Again she seemed surprised at the turn of conversation.

"The Death Eaters were all taken to the Ministry, put on trial and sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss immediately, it was performed. The man who stabbed you, named Vargial by the way, was dead when Dumbledore arrived. Turns out he had a spell on himself, once the dagger left his hand, he died."

"Really?"

"Yes," she nodded, her eyes still observing Draco Malfoy, "I wish I knew what was wrong with him," she sighed. "What will you want to eat?"

"Anything, everything," Harry answered, recognizing his stomach's loud call for food.

She smiled at him, "I'll tell the elves," she walked back to her quarters, footfalls loud compared to the silence of the Wing.

"Help," a rasp echoed in the new silence that enfolded him. Harry jerked and looked to where the other figure was struggling, entangled in their sheets.

"Malfoy, don't move," he called.

"What the-? Potter?" he saw a head raise into the darkness, only visible by the tiny sparkle of moonlight on the white hair.

"We're in the hospital wing, we were attacked on the train, do you remember?"

There was a long pause and he saw the blonde reach up and hold his head, "yes, I do, I remember we sent Pansy, Blaise and Theo to tell Dumbledore there were Death Eaters. We were fighting them and something, a-a red and gold curse it hit me but nothing happened. I didn't realize until the fight was over that I was hit but, it happened, I'm sure. I know we won but it gets blurred just after that. What else happened?"

"You passed out and were rushed here. Vargial, one of the Death Eaters, stabbed me after getting out of his restraints, that's why I'm here," he added.

"Vargial? Dennis Vargial? He was a Death Eater? He's a famous Quidditch player for an Irish team, I would never have guessed."

"He's definitely a Death Eater," Harry confirmed, "he's dead now, the rest of them that attacked us were tried and given the Dementor's Kiss."

"Good," he nodded in the moonlight and then lay back down, "is the mediwitch awake?"

"She was just ordering me some food," Harry answered. Malfoy nodded again from where he was.

"Is anyone else injured?"

"Not that I know of," Harry answered and surveyed the Hospital Wing, no other beds were occupied.

"Good," Malfoy repeated. "How long have we been here?"

"It's the thirteenth, so about as many days," he said, "how are you feeling?"

"I'll be fine. I assume they have no idea what happened to me?"

"Not that Madam Pomfery told me," he said.

"Mr. Potter, who are you talking to?"

"I-"

"Madam?" Malfoy sat up again and she shrieked in either surprise or delight.

"My good graces boy, are you all right?"

"Yes ma'am," he answered and she was at his side, prodding with her wand and lighting torches to observe him better.

The Malfoy heir was thrown into the light and he squinted at the other boy, who looked at him oddly. Potter's black hair was unkempt and wild, like always but this was an unnatural version, the lack of maintenance had changed the way it sat on his holy little head. He didn't have his glasses on, this was expectable. They most likely were broken. The new ones were nicer than the originals and it was a shame to loose them. Malfoy noticed the heavy bandaging, the layers of white gauze that wrapped his arm to his side and climbed up his chest, flashes of sun bronzed skin between streaks of white.

Harry observed the blonde, his skin had returned to the sallow look it had in the summer before Harry had left. His hair was imperfect, had the heir been fully conscious and able to, this would have been righted immediately. He was still striking though, the blackened lashes were thick and though Harry could do little more than see the general colorings and outline of the boy Harry could see the eyes in his mind. The ones from just earlier that day, storm clouds sliding across the sky in a pattern of dark and light, highlights and shadows and swirls of heavenly gray.

"The elves are bringing food up soon, do you feel well enough to eat? We should fill you both up," she said, sort of babbling, probably ecstatic about both boys waking up at once and Harry appearing to be planning on staying awake this time.

"Yes ma'am, I could eat a dragon," he said and she laughed, patting his shoulder lightly.

"I'll just call the Headmaster and your Heads," she said and puttered back to her quarters.

"Could you really eat a dragon?" Harry asked jokingly.

"It's not good meat, too stringy and tough, more like leather than real meat, only certain ethnic groups eat dragon meat and even then they don't do it but for bi-yearly ceremonies," he answered.

"You've had dragon meat?"

"I have, yes, for your information," Harry sensed the blonde's shields suddenly fly up, as if he realized what was going on.

"We're friends Malfoy, no need to be hostile," Harry said.

"Friends? I'm no Gryffindor, we don't need to be enemies but don't know that I'm willing to say we're friends yet," he said.

"We're acquaintances then, there's no reason to be hostile or guarded."

Immediately Draco noticed the Gryffindor's observation about guards. How could Potter be so keen on sensing shield people put up around themselves, Draco could see the boy had his own, building slowly since he'd awaken, but those were subconscious, ones he had to protect himself again everyone not just enemies. Draco had, of course, realized that he was conversing with a Gryffindor, the Savior, about dragon meat, and immediately he had reverted into a well defended form of himself, one reserved for when his father, Voldemort and his juvenile arch nemesis were around. The shield used by purebloods were hard to detect, it took training, tutoring, Potter had never known before this summer. Something happened and it dawned on Draco in a moment.

Someone tried to make him a pureblood.

The stance, the wardrobe, the reading of expressions (which Draco had noticed him doing when their eyes had met on the train), the recognition of shields, and it appeared Potter had constructed himself one or two which were appearing as he saw Draco's own expression shift from light hostility to confusion to shock to curiosity, all diluted but still there.

"What happened to you this summer?" Draco asked. Blunt and to the point, he was far too tired to play the game of guessing and over analyzing words and answers to vague but meaningful questions.

"What?" Harry's own shield flew up and Draco saw it, splendid, confirmation that he was taught. Now the only questions were who taught him and why…

**Holy Crap.**

**I didn't check my e-mail the few days after posting because homework tried to suffocate me. When I did I had forty three emails, forty one of them were for the last chapter. Since then I have gotten at least seven more.**

**I assume that's because of the cliffhanger and I'm sorry but I didn't want to give it all away at once and that was the best stopping spot I could find without making a too short chapter.**

**Here's the next installment, I was very encouraged to write because of all the reviews, thank you, I love you.**

**Draco and Harry are :ehem: away so I can't provide you with a witty and suggestive dialogue, however Professor Snape has offered to give a lecture on the uses of Merperson scales in potions. **

**Professor? Professooooooooor?**

**Snape: What? Oh, yes?**

**FireStorm: Eh….where were you? You were supposed to lecture on Merpers-**

**Snape: Oh, that, well, terribly sorry but 'Cissa's ehm, well, you know…you don't deny that woman anything. :coughs with emberssament: Must be going.**

**Firestorm: .O oh, sorry. **

**Snape: Yes, well AH:Narcissa drags him away:**

**Draco:walks out of his room mostly naked: EEEW!**

**Narcissa: Shut up.**

**Bernard: DO IT LIKE BUNNIES!**

**Draco:Hucks a large book at Bernard: she's my mother!**

**Firestorm: Sorry this is weird!**

**:A war between Bernard and Draco ensues, one throwing books, the other throwing carrots:**


	14. The Study

"_What?" Harry's own shield flew up and Draco saw it, splendid, confirmation that he was taught. Now the only question was who taught him and why…_

"You heard me Potter."

"What does it matter to you what happened to me?"

"It doesn't, but since we're friends," he stressed the word.

"I thought Slytherins didn't make friends this fast."

Draco smirked a little, "we don't, but Gryffindors do, aren't you all trusting and honorable? You won't lie to me then, Potter, ought just say it then. What happened to you this summer?"

"I got sent to live with Ron and Ginny at the Burrow."

"Then why are you acting like a pureblood?"

The volumes of their voices were raising as the conversation continued and Madam Pomfery stepped from her office, "boys, what in the good Lord's name are you doing that's got you shouting at each other already? By Merlin if this keeps up I'll have to separate you out to isolation rooms. You've not been awake a half hour and you're fighting already, if it happens again you'll be set straight, don't think you won't," she said, aiming her wand at each of them in turn.

"Yes ma'am," they answered dutifully.

"Good," she nodded and returned to her quarters.

"Well?"

"What?" Harry acted as though he didn't know what Malfoy was talking about.

"Why are you acting like a pureblood?"

"I don't know what you're on about Malfoy."

"Yes you do," Draco hissed. "I can tell, the way you were before, so oblivious to how to act, now you know, someone, somehow taught you to act like a high bred wizard. Who did it? Who taught you?"

"What are you talking about? Taught me to be classy? Maybe I just grew and got some confidence," Harry was thinking, grasping for anything that could get him out of this mess.

"Who shagged you then?"

"What?" Harry's eyes snapped up to look at the other boy.

"You heard me, the only way to give you enough confidence to act like a pureblood is to get you shagged, who did it then?" Malfoy wasn't interested, relieved more, he hated the idea of Potter, always so charmingly oblivious to all things structured in upper class society, being taught and reformed to fit the idea of class. It was a very odd idea, why someone would want to was beyond Draco's idea of fathomable.

Harry realized this was a way to avoid his knowing about Narcissa and the summer...but he had to think of someone, quickly, probably have to be a guy, otherwise it would be hard to convince Draco he went gay. "You wouldn't know him."

"Him?"

"Him," Harry nodded, it was very weird to be telling, lying almost, to your former-enemy about being gay.

Harry seriously considered what he was getting into. He was planning to date Malfoy for a year. Didn't that signify some homosexual tendencies? It wasn't the foremost thought on his mind this past summer. He was focused on all the things he had to learn and this teensy, well hopefully not teensy, problem of Malfoy being a bloke, was set to the side. Now it was starkly in the open and the question rose in him almost like sickness, _Am I gay?_

Malfoy observed him for a moment in the odd and growing silence, "you're a poof then?"

Harry met the storm eyes and, though he could not see them as he had yet to put his glasses on, Harry assumed they were trying to read his emotions. "Yes."

**:Much later that day, 6.36 PM:**

"Hey Harry," Ginny grinned at him, "Madam Pomfery said we could see you."

Hermione and Ron each had a glass of butterbeer in each hand, one was given to Ginny and the other to Harry. They grinned and toasted to Harry speedy recovery.

"Tell us what happened exactly," Hermione found herself a chair and was watching him as he went through the story for the sixth time. Snape, McGonaggle, Dumbledore, Pomfery and a pair of Ministry officials wanted it over again.

"…They ran away with Malfoy and then Vargial got up behind me and stabbed me, it looked like the same knife Pettigrew used in the graveyard during fourth year. Do you think it's possible?"

Hermione nodded solemnly, "it may have been cursed Harry, you should be extra careful this year."

"I should be extra careful every year but am I?"

Hermione laughed as did Ron and Ginny, "no, you're not and that's why they've been considering getting you your own bed here."

They laughed together and Harry felt very much like a Gryffindor again. He saw there were curtains drawn around Malfoy's bed and he could not tell if he had visitors or not.

"It's about-"

"Draco," the doors opened and Narcissa Malfoy walked in, her blackened gown gave her a much more sinister appearance then she usually had.

"Mother," the curtains were drawn back to reveal Malfoy sitting with a book in his lap.

"What in the name of Icarus did you do to yourself?"

"The Death Eaters attacked, mother, I was hit with a curse," he informed her.

She looked at him oddly, but then saw the group of Gryffindors, since Draco could not see her face she winked at them and then turned to her son and began a hushed conversation in another language.

Madam Pomfery walked out and to Harry's bed, "It's dinner time, you should leave so he may eat."

The group stood, grudgingly and left. Of course Mrs. Malfoy waved the woman off and conjured a meal from nothing for herself and her child. "How was the train ride prior? Learn anything?" she asked.

"No," he answered.

She nodded and took a bite of her salad, "You and Mr. Potter assisted each other?"

"We did," Malfoy narrowed his eyes at the other Sixth Year. Narcissa shot him a look.

She looked at Harry and observed him for a moment, concentrating very hard on the fabric that made up his bandages. "Mr. Potter?"

"Y-yes ma'am?" he acted nervous, truthfully he was. Would Draco fall for all this?

She stood, setting her plate aside, "you and my son have never been on the best of terms and it is no secret that my husband hates you."

"Yes ma'am," he answered, "Draco, er, your son and I thought it'd be best if we put aside our differences, became friends, you know."

"I'm quite certain I do not know the exact circumstances that brought that change of heart about, nor," she held up a hand, "am I certain I want to know them. I expect that if this…truce had not taken place then my son may have been killed."

"I-" Harry paused and thought that over, if he was not being put up to all this, if he was not trying to save his godfather; would he have helped Malfoy? Would he have saved him?

She raised her brows and nodded knowingly, "thank-you Mr. Potter, for helping Draco, I am grateful to you. Take care of yourself," she smiled at him and returned to her son's side. "Darling, I have to speak to Albus and Severus, perhaps I'll stop by before I leave." She planted a kiss on his cheek and swept away, "thank-you again Mr. Potter."

"You're welcome Mrs. Malfoy," he smiled at her. However, when he turned to Malfoy the silver eyes were glaring at him.

"Hope you're not starting to fancy my mum," he snarled.

"W-what?"

"I saw that look Potter," he spat, "she's old enough to be your mum and she is Lady Malfoy, she wouldn't go for you, ever."

"I don't fancy your mum, gods Malfoy, that's sick," he blanched.

"Calling my mum ugly Potter?"

"No," he snapped back, "she's pretty enough, but she's your mum, and like you said she's old enough to be _my_ mum. 'Sides we established I'm a poof."

Malfoy smirked, "we did, didn't we."

Harry nodded and reached to the side table, hoping to find his glasses, old or new, something. He realized they were a necessary layer of his shield, the one he'd constructed unknowingly around himself as a young child. The thick spectacles shielded something deeper that even Mrs. Malfoy could teach him to hide with mental plates. Harry spent hours, in the early morning, after he awoke from strange dreams, staring at his own eyes, trying to find this strange emotion Narcissa had seen. She said she did not know what it was, but it was obscured by his glasses, by the flimsy, glass and plastic lenses.

They were there, the black square frames, sitting expectantly and he put them on quickly. Not only were they more flattering than the old ones but they were a much more precise prescription. Harry quickly put them on and the hazy white figure across from him became almost painfully sharp. Malfoy, with his black ringed eyes, sat watching him, the thick book lying on the bed.

"Boys," Madam Pomfrey entered into the staring contest they had entered into, "I'm going to dungeons to speak to Severus, if anything happens there are a pair of Seventh Year girls from Ravenclaw who are working in the supply cupboard. Do not do anything stupid," she warned and then left.

**:Severus Snape's Quarters, Dungeons:**

"You know what happened?" Narcissa entered the dark chamber to see Severus sitting on the window bench observing the autumn sun.

"I never heard of the attack, nor did I recognize the curse or the effects," he answered without looking at her.

She closed the heavy door and slid the lock into place, "I'm glad he's all right, that's all I could ever ask." She said and took her cloak off, the elegant black fur shone a little in the cold sun. She set it across the back of an unused, stiff, leather chair piled with books, papers and a dented cauldron. Narcissa shook her white hair free of the high bun she'd wrapped it in that morning, "I know you are worried for him," she added.

Slowly, the black eyes of the potions master slid from the sun to the white haired woman standing by his desk. She smiled at him, leaning her head to the side a little. One hand put her hair clip on top of a worn brown book and the other shook some curls loose of one another.

"I am very worried," he confirmed and admired her.

Narcissa nodded solemnly, "Chael will be in danger if there is a war begun," she added, her gaze went to the floor, littered with texts and cauldrons and reports and vials of something or other.

"He will never be in danger if I am alive," Severus corrected her and she met his gaze again. She saw his careful guard slip away and the sincerity of his words became clear. Severus rarely let himself become so exposed, this was only the third time she saw him backsliding.

She did not understand why now was so meaningful to him. Long ago she had accepted that he was always locked away, that he would never let his guard down. She resigned herself to being shut from the deepest, most heavily guarded part of Severus and she could handle that. He let in her so deep, much deeper than anyone else and she reconciled herself to that piece of comfort. She did not know what lay beneath all the turmoil, hatred, anger, passion and vast knowledge but it intrigued her. She knew he could control when he let slip emotions and this moment, this piece of time, was meaningful to him and Narcissa could not exactly decide why.

"Chael," he said the name and returned his eyes to the sun, slipping in through the window that barely reached above the ground. A ways away stood a large tree turning red and gold in the sunlight and beyond that a wild forest growing darker for lack of sunlight.

Narcissa stepped towards him, "he means so much to you."

"Of course he does," was the answer, "I want so much for him to be able to live without the threat of death, of torture and of destruction. I want so much for him to grow up and be happy and human."

"Human?" she asked and came closer still.

"Without a hundred faces, one for when he is around politicians, one for young heirs, one for teachers, one for girls, one for old women, one for this and that. I want him to be human, to be himself no matter who he is with, that's what I want."

"We are not human?" she asked and took another step.

"We are not ourselves," he stated, "when have you shown anyone the true Narcissa Malfoy? Is she in there? Or is she just masks and magic and breeding? Is there a person within you that is hidden from everyone, including me, including Draco?"

Narcissa took the final few steps and looked out the window to the sun as it sat, massive, in the sky and shone despite the turmoil in the eyes of the viewers.

"I can never tell," she answered, "this philosophical speech of yours makes me wonder though," she said. "why do you wonder?"

"I discovered that I am someone beneath it all, there's another piece of me that I found just two days ago as I sat next to Draco. I watched him and realized what I am under all of my shields," he turned to her a little.

Narcissa knelt on the floor and laid her hands on his leg, listening intently.

"I am," he paused and looked at the sun once more before turning to see Narcissa, glowing in the eternal gold of the sun and he smiled a little, "just a man."

Narcissa smiled at him, "not a potions master?"

He shook his head.

"A scholar?"

He shook his head.

"A wizard?"

He shook his head.

"A Snape?"

He shook his head.

"A lover?"

He laughed but shook his head.

"Just," she inhaled and exhaled audibly but with a smile, "a man?"

He nodded and put his hand on hers, "and I'm glad."

Narcissa slid into his lap and they leaned against the wall together, legs stretched out over the window bench. Severus had his arms around her and she wove her fingers with his and they watched the sunset on the lake and against the distant mountains.

"Would you like to take a night some week and come for dinner at the manor?" she asked.

"Some night that would be very nice," he answered and leaned his head forward to kiss her shoulder.

Narcissa smiled and pressed herself deeper into him, wishing to lie, enclosed and protected and loved for the rest of time. Severus tightened his grip and moved his lips to her neck, a single, warm kiss. They both watched a small flower blow in the breeze, just outside the rusted iron framed window.

**:Snape's Study, A Lower Level:**

"For God's sake Severus open the damn door," Madam Pomfery pounded again. It had been ten solid minutes and no answer, "open it or I'll blast it open. I need those potions immediately."

A loud scuffling sound occurred from within and the mediwitch stepped back, satisfied by her work with getting the man to comply. The door flew open and the young Zabini heir, Blaise, stuck his head out.

"Mother of Merlin woman, he's not here." The boy went to slam the door again.

"Just what are you doing in his office then?" She slammed her palm to the door to stop it from closing.

"Having a shag, what does it look like?" the boy shouted and she realized he was hiding himself behind an open copy of the First Year's textbook. Madam Pomfery could see an attractive boy with brown hair laying on the desk looking utterly peeved. The woman turned scarlet and then the door slammed.

No wonder the man rarely used his study.

**Sweet deal.**

**You all rock my socks and it's wonderful and grand and….I can put it no other way: HAZAH!**

**Pretty much you make me feel great about my utterly flawed and lightly pointless writing. OMG I saw HP4 and I definitely cried when Cedric died. :( **

**I loved the movie and I'll prolly see it another few times, just because of how AWESOME it was. Draco was barely in it but that's because he was working very hard at seducing Harry in between Tasks. That's what was happening I'm sure.**

**Draco: For your information I was working very hard at getting perfect marks in all my courses. Thank-you-very-much.**

**FireStorm: Suuure.**

**Harry: Where's Captain Slashy?**

**FireStorm: Who? Oh, she's dancing :points at the pirate Captain, dancing to Wham! music off to the side:**

**Harry: I see.**

**Draco: I wish I didn't see.**

**Captain Slashy: Shut up and go shag some more.**

**Draco: Excuse me, but I'm a classy boy and-**

**Harry::throws Draco over his shoulder and walks away:**

**Draco: Put me down! Put me down right now! I'll tell my mummy!**

**Harry: You really want her to know?**

**Draco::thinks very hard about this: No.**

**Harry::walks away into a soundproofed room.**

**FireStorm: o.O well….I guess that means I've got nothing left to do but…DANCE::joins the Captain:**


	15. The Old Rings

**:Great Hall, dinner time:**

"Professor Cuida?" Dumbledore turned to the woman for her opinion on the topic.

She tapped a long finger to her lips. "I think the use of Chimera blood in any way is a dangerous idea. There are alternatives that come in less dangerous forms and in more abundance. Chimeras are becoming more and more rare, killing them for this, though for a good cause, seems a contradiction to all the anti-hunting laws put in place around the creatures."

The other professors all drew back a little and laughed, clapping for her. "Well put," Flitwick said, grinning.

Lucia Cuida, a Spanish witch, had been hired on as the DADA professor after much consideration. She was very young, only twenty, and had attended a controversial school of magic called El Corozon del Fuego, whose Head Master was an accused ex-Death Eater with a horrid temper and less than mainstream approach to teaching. Albus had all faith in her though Minerva had protested to the young girl, calling her a "tart, and a Dark Magic tart at that."

It had taken only a few days to change the minds of most of the faculty though, she was a smart girl and well aware of her position and she so acted.

"Where's Professor Snape?" Hagrid asked, realizing his two cents were lacking in the conversation.

The faculty looked around for the man but could not see him, "I can't say I know," Minerva said. She worried for the younger man, he worked far too hard for too long and risked too much. She had watched him grow up and could see how the war, teetering on a cliff, was straining him even further.

"He's probably grading the first essays from the new students," Cuida said and they all laughed and nodded.

Ron saw the faculty laughing about something Cuida said and he sighed, watching her longingly.

"What are you looking at Ron?" Hermione asked, though she knew.

"What? Oh, just wondering what the teachers are on about," he admitted. Ron was fairly aware that Hermione had known he was looking at _her_ and he was training himself not to lie to her about such things.

Better be open with it than lie and get in a load of trouble.

Hermione was working on not caring, since Cuida was quite obviously involved with the new, hunky Divinations teacher, Professor Locke. Hermione looked at the doors and saw Pansy enter with Theodore and head to the Slytherin table. They sat with Malcolm Baddock, Crabbe, Goyle and a slimy Sixth Year whose name Hermione didn't know.

"Where were you three?"

Theo shrugged and served himself some potatoes, "we were sitting in the common room, talking, and lost track of time."

"That's about it," Pansy said before the small, weasel-like boy, Nettle, could ask another question.

"Seen Draco?"

"Nope," she answered Baddock's question.

"Where's Zabini?" Goyle asked, searching the table with his eyes.

"He and Cole are…busy," Theo supplied and they understood entirely.

"They still together?" Nettle asked, a little coldly.

"Yes, they are," Theo answered firmly. He and the others disliked the boy but he was the son of a high powered man and so their loyalties to the breed had to be shown.

The doors opened and the attractive blonde and the Italian boy entered together, grinning superiorly. Cole detached from Blaise and seated himself with the other Ravenclaw boys, all of whom gave him odd looks.

Blaise sat down, "I heard Mrs. Malfoy came to visit Draco."

"I'm certain that's what she's here for," Pansy smirked and Blaise grinned back at her, Theo tried to hide his own smile but failed.

They knew where she was.

**:Hospital Wing:**

"I hope you're feeling better," one of the girls passed through the main room and spoke to them over her shoulder as she disappeared again.

"Sure," Harry nodded and stuck his piece of veal again.

Across the room Malfoy was observing his food with a disgusted look. "You eat this…trash?"

"Every day," Harry answered, "it wouldn't hurt you to fill out a bit either."

Draco wrinkled his nose, rather fond of his lean, thin build. He observed the broader Gryffindor and decided the look would not work for as it did for Potter. Harry grinned, he could feel Draco watching him, and he did not mind. He used to be very scrawny. He had always been broad shouldered but he looked very odd since he was muscle-less and stretched looking. Thankfully a consistent diet and flying/exercise routine that summer had taken care of that.

"Shut up Potter," Malfoy said and he picked up a fork and began to prod his food.

"Did that spell effect the part of your brain dedicated to comebacks? You seem to be lacking," Harry said without even looking up at him. A second later a soggy carrot smacked him right in the nose.

"My brain is perfectly fine, thanks," Malfoy responded.

"Your aim is too," Harry admitted and loaded some potatoes onto his spoon.

"You wouldn't dare," the silver eyes narrowed at him.

"I fought the Dark Lord, I've got balls enough to throw some cold potatoes across the room at an incapacitated sissy like you." Harry let them fly and the spattered the blonde. He gasped and whipped some from his cheek.

"You're dead Potter," Malfoy put some peas onto his spoon and fired them. In response Harry just grabbed a chunk of veal and hurled it the blonde. It erupted into a food fight until they were both utterly depleted of food and energy. They laughed at the mess they'd made and then stopped upon hearing the shriek of one of the girls.

"What did you do?"

"What does it look like?"

"It looks like you got in a food fight," she walked forward, gapping at the mess.

"One point to the young woman in blue, anything else you'd like ask?"

"Why?"

"He called you fat, I was defending you," Draco answered.

She gapped at Harry for a second then her eyes narrowed and she turned to the blonde, "Madam Pomfery will hear of this and when your better you'll be cleaning the vomit pails for a week," she said and whirled around and re-entered the store room.

Harry picked up the carrot that had begun the fray and lobbed it, with his good arm, at the blonde, "prat, what'd you tell her that for?"

"See her reaction, Anna Lucia's always prided herself on every boy admiring her arse, I wondered what she'd do," he answered as the carrot hit his shoulder. "No need to get violent Potter."

The doors opened and Madam Pomfery walked in, she had her lips pursed and she seemed to be trying to control herself. She did, however, stop dead upon seeing the mess.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Potter called you a stubborn cow, I was defending you," Malfoy answered as he examined the carrot and took a bite after he deemed it safe looking.

"Mr. Malfoy I would ask that you don't lie to our MediWitch, she's the only one we've got and angering her would do little to improve your position," Dumbledore said

"With all due respect Head Master, when's she's in a good mood she does little to improve my position."

"What do you mean Mr. Malfoy?"

"Does she know what curse I was hit with?"

"No."

"The effects?"

"No."

"The counter-curse?"

"No."

"How to repair the damage done by the curse?"

"No."

"So you see, little to be done but let me sit here and be observed."

Madam Pomfery turned red and stormed through the trashed section of the Hospital Wing to her quarters. With a sigh Dumbledore went after her, "do not cause any more trouble Mr. Malfoy."

Draco shrugged and ate some more of his carrot.

**:Severus Snape's Quarters, Dungeons:**

"Severus?" Narcissa looked at him in the darkness, broken only by the oil lamp that had lit itself when the sun disappeared.

"Yes?"

"I think you will be a wonderful father," she told him and he smiled a little.

"I hope so," and he stood from his seat. Narcissa watched him walk to his bed and lay down, she followed shortly, laying next to him on her side. Slowly she took his hand in hers.

Her ring touched his and she observed them. Both of hers were very old and very traditional. One a silver band with an emerald, the engagement ring, and the other was a platinum band bearing the Malfoy crest. Neither she particularly cared for, however it was by magic that she wore them. On his finger was an iron band, old as this very castle, and a black stone sat on it. Any man in the Snape family who wed wore that ring. Narcissa remembered his wife, Celeste, they had attended school together and shared a dormitory for seven years. Celeste was a very plain girl, nothing particularly inspiring or astonishing about her. She was quiet and agreeable and very kind. She lacked passion and curiosity, she was a girl who was happy to sit and read a book or sew all day. Celeste was pretty enough, brown hair and eyes. She was of a well respected but now extinct line and had promise as a mother and wife and lady. Narcissa remembered the wedding and the funeral two weeks later. Celeste had been killed by the Death Eaters for treason.

Severus would have betrayed them as well had his fear of Voldemort not outweighed his grief for his dead bride.

Snape was looking at the rings as well and think of her. She'd have bored him after a few years. Narcissa was a magnificent woman though, her white curls were laying across the dark green sheets and glowed in the fire light. Her skin was touched gold and she looked all together ethereal, something about her was entirely enrapturing. Snape often wondered how Lucius, secretly a romantic man, could become bored with such a woman. Often he wondered if he was betraying her spirit, however he'd known her a few short months and had no idea how she would feel if she knew. It did not bother him really, he only wondered. He sensed Narcissa's eyes move to his face and he met the turquoise gaze.

"You should sleep," she informed him.

"I need to patrol the halls," he said.

"The halls will survive a night while you rest," she countered and drew closer to him.

Severus smiled, just a little, and put an arm around her and held her against his chest, "a night," he agreed.

Narcissa listened to his heart and drifted off to sleep.

Unfortunately her bed mate did not find rest so quickly, he lay awake and thought about the woman he'd been married to.

**:Flashback:**

"Sir?" the door opened and seventeen year old, Severus Snape entered his father's study.

"Son, sit," he was never a man of many words. Severus found himself in the straight backed chair he had sat in a hundred times before, the wide bay window curtains were drawn and the raging storm outside hounded the windows ferociously.

"What is it sir?"

"I've completed arrangements for you to be married," he said without even looking up from his paper.

Severus felt his eyes widen. Lucius, his closest friend, was getting married in a month. Rodolphus, another good friend, was marrying in two. Was he the next to wed?

"To who, father?"

"Celeste Aurora," he answered.

Severus nodded, "thank-you father, may I go now?"

He was waved out and Severus rushed to the floo port in the parlor. "The noble and most ancient house of Black," he called out and was spun to the fireplace in the house Narcissa was staying in that summer. A squeal sounded as he rushed out, searching for the white haired girl.

"'Cissa!" he called and a door slammed in the bowels of the manor.

"What?" She appeared, dressed in dark blue, and looking rather flustered.

"Who's Celeste Aurora?"

"What? Why?" she blinked at him.

"I've been engaged to her," he answered.

"Oh," Narcissa nodded and then motioned for him to follow her back to her room. They entered and Narcissa took down a photo album. "She was in our year, and house at Hogwarts."

"Really?" Severus looked shocked, how could he have missed her.

"She's…." Narcissa looked through some pages and stopped at a picture of a large group of girls. "Here."

Severus saw her and frowned, no wonder he'd never seen her. She was very regular and almost homely compared to the other pureblood girls. The Nordic and angelic Narcissa, the dark and mysterious Bellatrix, the wild and hysterical Andromeda, all out shown her.

"Truly?"

"Yes," Narcissa read his expression, "she's very nice, you will like her I'm sure."

"I hope so," he answered and looked at the girls in the photo, he knew all and only a few were already engaged. To be honest he would even prefer to have been married to Ranada Darke, the Romanian girl with promiscuous reputation.

"Don't worry, Sev, she's perfectly nice," Narcissa tried to assure him again.

"I'm sure she is, 'Cissa, nice is just fine," he smiled and kissed her cheek, "how are you handling getting married this month?"

"I'll be fine," she said, "just another exam, just another day, another dance, another step."

"Something your mother teach you?"

"Something I wish she taught me," Narcissa smiled, "I get home the same week Bellatrix gets married."

"Really?"

"Yes, then in just a few weeks later Andromeda's wedding to Henry Goyle is happening," she smiled, "quite the busy summer."

"She won't actually marry him," Severus said with a smirk.

"I doubt she will," she admitted and lay down on her bed, "I'm so tired of all the advice I'm getting from the old women. I'm not married yet, I don't need to know how to choose a dinner menu or knit a baby sweater. I don't want to know how to knit, I refuse to be an old woman until I'm at least…thirty."

Severus laughed, "that's not old," he lay down next to her, "you'll figure it out as you go."

"That was my plan with the N.E.W.T.'s," she laughed with him.

"We'll see how you did on those," he answered her.

"She really is a nice girl," Narcissa reminded him.

"She'll be fine, I'm not worried," he assured her, "Celeste Aurora will be a fine wife."

Narcissa looked at his black eyes and realized how bored of her he already was.

**:End Flashback:**

**Woo! Chapter 15 down! **

**I'm writing like a monkey with a typewriter. It's amazing, especially because of all the support the fic is getting, it's inspiring really. I adore you all. :air kisses, air kisses:**

**I definitely just ate WAY too much food for Thanksgiving. Triptifan is kicking in and I'm sleepy. I'm writing the next chapter though, so never fear, FireStorm is here for you.**

**I have very little else to say…..Bernard loves you and is doing the bunny hop on the kitchen table, very thankful it's Turkey Day and not Plot Bunny Day. I should probably inform you all that YOU'RE THE GREATEST EVER AND I LOVE YOU!**

**:D**

**Okay.**

**Love-Firestorm**

**Ps. I wrote the AN on Thanksgiving, it's now a few days after that, but it's still a good AN so I left it.**


	16. The Terrace

**:Hospital Wing, the Following Day:**

"I heard you were antagonizing the mediwitch," Narcissa found herself seated by her son.

"I heard you didn't return to the manor last night," Draco answered nonchalantly.

"If I recall that is none of your concern," she countered.

"If I recall the mediwitch deserved what she got," he said.

"Draco, be a gentlemen and apologize to her, then ask politely if she'll do her best to help you recover from the attack," Narcissa gave him a very stern look.

"Why don't you go apologize to-" she clapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish.

"Do as I say or you'll not get a new horse for Christmas," she threatened and he nodded unwillingly. "Good."

"I better get a damn fine horse," he grumbled and noticed that Harry was stirring in his bed. "You should go before the Boy-Wonder wakes up."

Narcissa looked over at him, "I'll leave when I'm ready," she ran a hand through her hair. "Why did you attack the Death Eaters? If your father found out you'd be severely punished, and the Dark Lord would taken Theodore again."

"I admit, I wasn't thinking so far in advance, only about the younger students and, admittedly, myself. I didn't want to have a school year cancelled or seriously impaired by student deaths. I have classes to take, exams to pass and Quidditch to play," he said.

"How very philanthropic of you my dear," she commented. "Next time, think ahead a bit."

"Yes mum," he nodded.

"Tell me, have you and Mr. Potter been getting along?"

Draco observed her carefully, "a little, we've called an uneasy truce during this trying time."

Narcissa nodded and glanced at the wakening boy, "good. It's not a good idea to be fighting with a Light Side poster boy."

"I'm sure," he said. "Do you think, perhaps, I could go shower?"

"Ask the mediwitch, once you've apologized," she said.

"Yes mum." He mumbled.

"I should go talk to the Head Master, I'll be in the Great Hall with him if you need me," she said and stood. "Be good, no more food fights or snide comments."

"Yes mum, do talk some sense into the old man," he said as she walked away.

**:Great Hall, Dinner Time:**

The doors opened and everyone turned to see the stunning Lady Malfoy striding in, stern faced. "Ah, Lady Malfoy," the Head Master stood.

"Professor," she crossed the rest of the hall to him and curtsied politely. He nodded his head and waved his hand towards the table where another chair appeared next to him.

"Sit, please," he offered and pulled out the chair. She went around the table and slid in next to him. The hall returned to their food, many young males glancing at the elegant woman in between bites.

Blaise, seated between Pansy and Theo, speared some corn, "get your eyes off Draco's mum," he hurled his spoon at a Fifth Year seated near them.

The boy yelped and turned his face to his food, concentrating very hard at not looking away.

"Sick that they all ogle her like that," he said and ate his dinner.

"Good thing your boy doesn't seem interested," Pansy said.

Blaise saw that Cole, the attractive blonde from the night before, was looking in the opposite direction, chatting up another Ravenclaw, probably about Arithmacy or something smart like that. Blaise blushed and focused on his food.

"Oh, look at that," Pansy grinned, "you really do fancy him."

Blaise smacked her arm, "I'll fancy who I want."

The Slytherin girl laughed, "first time I've seen you really taken with anyone," she said.

"Shove it Parkinson," he answered.

Across the Hall at the Gryffindor table Neville was sitting across from Ron and Hermione and next to Ginny. Seamus and Dean had found seats just left of there and were discretely listening in as Ron and Hermione bickered about classes and homework schedules.

"Ron, how can you pass the N.E.W.T.'s without persistent study and focus?"

"I'll pass 'em how I want to," he replied and glanced towards the elegant woman at the Head Table. Between her and Cuida he had a slight giddy feeling. Lady Malfoy, though older than Cuida, was a splendid creature. Hermione saw him look at her and she sighed.

The bushy haired girl silenced herself and prodded her chicken a little sadly. She knew she was not elegant or wealthy like Lady Narcissa. She was not glamorous and exciting like Cuida. Hell, she wasn't even busty and wild like Parkinson. Hermione had recently begun to spend her mornings preening. She wanted very much to be stunning like Cuida and Narcissa, or even sexy like Pansy. Hermione had decided there was little hope for it. She wasn't gifted enough; facially she was a little plain and had that hair which did not help any. She would attempt to have it straightened but after a few days it wore off and she was back to the mess. She tried to wear her skirt a little shorter but in only managed to make her feel awkward. She tried to open an extra button but that made her feel awkward as well. Hermione looked at her carrots and peas and then at Ron, where he'd turned back to his food. She gave a mental sigh and drank some pumpkin juice.

Lady Malfoy was drinking some dark liquid from a glass and silver goblet and smiling charmingly at the Head Master. Hermione doubted she could ever pull off such behavior. It was for pureblood and powerful women. Hermione looked across the hall were Pansy was smirking, leaning against her seat back with her arms crossed and her cleavage thrust forward through the gap exposed by her undone buttons. Hermione knew the girl was very confident and ballsy, even for a pureblood lady, she was known for loose knickers but she managed to not seem all that sluttish.

"Mione?" Ron looked at her oddly.

"What?" she asked, attempting to seem normal. Across the hall Blaise Zabini stood from his place and stormed from the hall, Pansy laughing into her drink as he left.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Just look a bit weird is all," he answered and shrugged.

Her breath hitched, "what do you mean?"

He looked back at her, a little confused, "I don't know, you just look like…I don't know, nevermind."

Hermione breathed heavily a few times and an anxious feeling spread through her, restlessness, worry, stress. "I've got to go," she stood, grabbed her bag and exited the hall in a rush. Ron watched her go, scratched his head and returned to his soup.

Hermione rushed through the halls and up as many stair cases as she could find. Her destination was somewhere she did not know, all she wanted was to run up and away from it all. She found herself on the terrace of an old tower, little used except by lovers with a bottle of fire whiskey and a hard-on. She stopped to wipe away some tears before she stepped fully into the clear warm night. It was strangely warm and she did not consider the reason. The terrace was surrounded by blocks used by archers to hide. Between two sat a dark figure with a cigarette and a cloud of silver smoke.

She realized someone was there with a start and squeak. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, I-I'll just go."

The figure turned his head to her and smirked in the rising moonlight, "don't worry about it Granger, Shag Terrace is big enough for two. It's actually big enough for twelve, after that it gets a little crowded," he said.

Hermione blushed and looked around, cigarette butts were smashed between stones and into cracks and corners. There were bottles lining the archer blocks, casting green, red, blue and yellow patches onto the floor.

"How do you know?" she asked.

He laughed and stood, draining his butterbeer and attaching it to an empty space. "I have a lot of friends."

She noticed the boy was Blaise, who had left the hall just before her, "what are you doing up here Zabini?"

"Thinking," he answered, "you know about the little Potter-Malfoy agreement, yes?"

"Of course," she answered, "how do you know?"

"Mum Malfoy asked us to help teach 'im to be real Slytherin-like. She thinks Draco will fall for Potter that way," he chuckled.

"You mean he wont?"

"Oh, he'll be intrigued by the change and all. He'll figure it out though, sooner or later, at this rate it'll be sooner. He'll be pissed but that won't stop him. Potter's a bit fascinating to us really," he said and took a drag.

"Really?"

"Of course. The savior of the world, originally a scrawny, know-nothing Gryffindork with big glasses and an annoyingly endearing personality, of course we're fascinated. Honestly though, Draco has been falling for him for years now, and vice versa I'm fairly sure."

She gasped, "Are you certain?"

"Sure," he answered and took another drag, "Drake and Pottsy-poo are the definition of the "opposites attract" philosophy. Do you think Mum Malfoy would ever pursue this match-making shite if there wasn't obvious potential in it? She never invests unless she knows that it will work, and this, let me assure you, will work really, really well."

Hermione smiled, "why did you agree to help him, don't you hate Harry?"

"I got a reward," he smiled. "A flat in Los Angeles," he supplied.

Hermione laughed outright, "a bribe?" she laughed again, "are Parkinson or Knott helping as well?"

"Pans was informed right off, Theo has been informed. Pansy's getting an engagement lifted and Theo's been promised a vacation to the Caribbean."

"You aren't just doing this to help your friend find true love?" she sounded a little appalled.

"Darling," he took another drag, "we love Draco, truly we do, but we also know that bringing Potter close will bring the Dark Lord close as well. Our grey space, the one we very carefully made ourselves in our youth, is getting squeezed by this little play for love. Mum Malfoy knows that, it's her grey space too and she'll be damned if she puts us and herself in danger for nothing. Even if we didn't help she'd make it happen."

Hermione walked over and sat between two of the archer blocks, "she that persistent?"

"She's not just a pretty face," he answered and the saw how Hermione reacted to that. "Why'd you come up here anyway? Not to talk to a Slytherin poof about trying to hook up his best friend and yours."

"I-" she stopped, "no reason."

"Weasley sending lovey eyes at Mum Malfoy?"

"Wha-?"

"Please, you think we don't see how every boy in the school looks at her? Her and Professor Cuida, 't's a wonder half the boys didn't blow their loads right when she walked in," he laughed and Hermione turned scarlet. "What you worried about him lookin' at Mum Malfoy for?"

"She-" she stopped again, she had no idea how to phrase her thoughts.

Blaise seemed to understand though she had said very little, "you intimidated by her then?"

"How'd you know?" she asked.

"I know these things," he answered, "you think you can't measure up to the standards they set. Why would Ron go for you when there are girls in the school like Pansy, and women around like Cuida and Mum Malfoy?"

She nodded.

"Pansy, for one, isn't your average female, she's got eighteen generations of breeding. She's not one you'd want to measure yourself against, especially," he took a drag, "because you'd have nothing to measure against."

"What?"

"Pansy's got huge knockers, wit, and a good liver; she's real smart sometimes, but in rather trivial things. She can shoot a bird with a slingshot but what good will that do her in ten years? She can hop on one leg and sing "Ode to a drunken Scotsman" but how will that help her get a job? Don't get me wrong, I love her, she's a sister to me, but she's little beyond her boobs and her wit." He took a pair of drags and blew them into the night, "you're different though. You've got brains, and that's something I know Pansy would rather have than looks. You can get by on looks, of course, but you can't succeed with them. Most you can get is eight marriages and a lot of money, like my mum, but you can't stand on your own, you can't live away from your husband.

"You can be independent and strong and centered without a rich family, trust fund, wealthy husband or a dead Uncle. You don't need looks, but you've got them." She made to interrupt him, "hear me out on this one. You are pretty, I see it, Ron sees it, I know that several Slytherin boys see it and most of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor see it. You, admittedly, need some refining, but that will come to you in time. You think Misses Malfoy always looked gorgeous?"

Hermione raised her brows, "well, she's not the best example," he admitted, "Pansy was a fat baby. I had a snout and stubby fingers," he said, "we shaped up, you will too. Don't expect too much too soon."

Hermione smiled, "you're really nice for a Slytherin croonie, I always thought you'd be nasty and evil."

"I am," he assured her and took the last drag, "I'm a rat bastard with a low IQ and a huge sex drive." He smiled, "I am all those things, but every once in a while I find myself being helpful and astonishingly brilliant."

The smoke lifted into the air and faded away, he watched it go before destroying the butt beneath his heavy boot, "trust me," he turned to her, "you're pretty."

He stood from his position leaning against the wall and began to walk away, "thank-you," she called and he raised a hand, accepting her thanks.

"Don't worry about it," he answered and disappeared into darkness.

**It's a little short, I admit, but it's super! I've got 17 all written and ready, it just needs refining. :D It'll be up within a week, at most a week and a half.**

**An update on your author's life: I saw RENT the movie and it was really super good. Rodger and Mike are good looking and my favorite characters. I cried, a lot, I admit I'm getting soft, crying at 2 of the 3 movies I've seen recently. I did not cry at WALK THE LINE but it was super good too. I give it three and a half of five. RENT gets four and of course, because I'm biased beyond all belief, HP4 gets five out of five.**

**Bernard loves you.**

**I love you.**

**-FireStorm**

**:as a bribe for reviews she passes out a teaser tape of Harry and Draco snogging:**


	17. The Black Horned Souchle Plant

**:Unknown Location:**

"Dead? All of them?" he asked and rage grew from deep within him.

"Or at least disappeared, my lord," Julian clarified.

"How can this be? The passage was safe and clear when Donovan and McNabb returned from constructing it," he said and snarled.

"I head that Lady Malfoy is within the castle, perhaps it is her magic that disposed of them," he said and examined something beneath one of his nails.

"What is she doing within Hogwarts?" He shouted and stood from his chair.

"Her son was injured by a flying curse during the attack on the Express," he reminded the Dark Lord, "he just woke up a few days ago."

Voldemort bristled, "we'll wait for her to leave."

"And what- send another group? What if it is not her magic that disposed of them? We can not spare followers my lord," he said and watched the red slits sharpen.

"I will go myself if need be, we're invading that castle and taking over, my plans are flawless, there must be an outside source blocking our entrance. Lady Malfoy must be the cause, have Lucius call her home."

Julian raised his white brows, "she does not answer to her husband, Snape though, may be able to send her off."

"She would know," he snapped and seated himself again, "where is Pettigrew?"

"Bathing my lord, he's filthy from scurrying through the sewage tunnels of the school. He was the only one to return," he said. Voldemort nodded and clenched his hand into a fist. "bring me a traitor."

Julian nodded and left the room, returning with a silver hair old woman with crazed eyes.

"My lord," she screamed.

"Yes Ms. Tedaszc? Another prophecy for me?" he asked snidely and drew his wand. The woman was a seer from somewhere in central Europe, she was sister to a werewolf whose allegiance had faltered and he was killed. Tedaszc was brought into question and deemed a traitor shortly after.

"I have nothing for you but my prophecies and this one I wrote for you in my skin," she said and slid from Julian's grasp. She tore at her sleeves until the words were exposed.

"_The young Master _

_Shall join with those_

_Who fight the cause._

_He will slide within us_

_As a snake enters the nest_

_And he will devour all._

_In his quest for safety_

_In his future and the_

_Savior's."_

Voldemort snarled and killed her immediately. The vague and pointless prophecies of the hag were tiresome. He watched her hit the floor and he left the room, bored beyond words.

Julian stepped over her and went after the Dark Lord, "you could have at least warned me first, shooting a Killing Curse in my direction doesn't exactly calm me down after a hard day's work." He called and slammed the door behind him.

**:Hospital Wing, Two Days Later:**

"Bugger off," Draco clambered from the bed where he'd been seated and rushed to the doors. Madam Pomfery immediately shot a locking charm at them and the heir crashed into them. He whirled around, "let me go, let me go right now!"

"Mister Malfoy, calm down, it will only be another few moments," she said and eased towards him.

"You said that an hour ago," he shouted at her and glanced towards Harry. He was seated on his bed, reading a pamphlet on Dragon Pox, looking utterly calm.

"The blood test is taking a lot longer to confirm than usual," she said and motioned to the pair of floating test tubes over the sink. They were still a strange green color, if the boys were fine they would change to blue, if there were something wrong the color would change to red.

"Then re-do them," he ordered and rolled up his black sleeve to his elbow, exposing his veins. "You've obviously cast the spell wrong."

"I will not have you-" she stopped as the test tubes shuddered. She turned and walked briskly to them, she waited a moment and was about to give up when they began to change color.

Draco pulled his sleeve back down, it was Blaise's shirt so the end of the sleeve covered his fingers to the first joint. He walked over, slowly, Harry standing and walking next to him.

They watched.

They waited.

Agonizingly the glow faded into blue.

"Yes," Malfoy pumped his fist in the air and turned on his heel. "Unlock the door, hag, I'm leaving."

She turned scarlet and unlocked the door, as he left she made sure to have a pail of water upturn on his trouser leg. With a sneer and a middle finger raised in a rather un-Malfoy like way, he left. Harry smiled at her, apologized for his fellow student's behavior, and went after him.

"You'll never get treated decently again you know," he said as he caught up to the blonde.

"I don't give a damn, my family bloody owns this land, we can have her tossed," he snarled.

"What?"

"Didn't Granger ever tell you?" he asked, a little startled that Potter did not know.

"No," he said, Narcissa and Severus had not informed him either.

"Back around the end of the first century, when the Founders were looking for a place to build this school, they found this huge seven square mile parcel owned by my family. This castle was a manor house of the family and Hogsmeade, originally a much larger town called Serentias, was where our serfs lived. Salazar Slytherin was a very dear friend of my ancestor at the time, Coraxaz, and he was convinced to lease them the castle. To this day it is leased from the family, renewed every hundred years, the land, the castle, the squid," he pointed out a window at the lake. "I can not believe you didn't know that."

"Is that in _Hogwarts, A History_?"

"I doubt it, they like to think they're all about the Founders did it on their own, without help, majestic and persistent and blah, blah," he sneered.

Harry nodded as he walked alongside the blonde, "would your family ever revoke the lease?"

"Evict Britain's greatest school of magic?" he clarified, "no, not without great reason and hassle. Lucius is considering selling the land to the school or ministry however, I think it would be a poor move. There's great prestige in owning a school of magic," he said.

Harry nodded again and they came upon the open doors of the Great Hall. At breakfast time the school was congregated around their tables, eating and laughing and getting final parts of homework done for classes later that day.

The Slytherin table cheered suddenly as they saw Draco, With a smirk he walked towards them and took his seat at the head of the table where he was surrounded by Pansy, Theo and Blaise.

The Gryffindor table all cheered for Harry, trying to outdo Slytherin, and they surged forward around him as he approached. They retracted back to the table, pulling him along, and sitting him between Ron and Hermione, encased in his friends.

"Great to have to you back, mate," Ron thudded him on the back and Harry grinned at him.

"Are you all right Harry?" Hermione asked.

"He just got released from Pomfery, of course he feels all right," Ron answered her question and got himself some more eggs. "Coming to classes today?"

"I'm supposed to have a meeting with the Head Master and a Ministry official to finalize the report of what happened."

"Ah," Ron nodded, "it's the eighteenth, mate, you should come to classes soon or you'll miss everything."

"What have we learned already?"

"Hagrid's got us learning about unicorns again, we start taking care of our own tomorrow. We're working in groups of five though, you're with Ronald, Blaise, Pansy and I." Hermione said, then by way of explanation, "Hagrid chose the groups."

"Ah," Harry smiled, "what about in Transfiguration?"

"Porcupines to stools," Ron said. "What's she done is turn all our stools to porcupines, you've got to switch 'em back if you want to sit at all during the lesson. Poor Nev's had his waddle away a few times," the table laughed.

"You've not done too well either Ron," Hermione said with a smile. "the new DADA teacher, Professor Cuida, is really good, we're learning debilitating charms right now. It's nothing cruel or gruesome, but to knock your opponent out of the fight," she added, "like the Laughing Charm or Jelly Legs Charm."

Harry nodded along, "what about in History of Magic?"

"Something about a Destroyer Fairy," Ron shrugged.

"Her name was Tioneda the Ender of Worlds," Hermione snapped, "she's very interesting. Legends say she destroyed the Mayan, Trojan and Persian empires."

Harry raised his brows, "really?"

"If Professor Binns wasn't so boring maybe we'd be more interested in Tio-whatever the Ender of Worlds," Ron said.

"Perhaps," Hermione admitted and she saw Blaise land a punch on Pansy's arm. The black haired girl set down her dark drink and punched him back.

"Anything else?"

"Not really," Ron said, "oh, Seamus got himself turned purple in Potions, Snape changed him back of course but only after he cleaned his cauldron by hand without magic."

Seamus pouted, "my fingertips are still lavender," he held them out and it could be seen.

They laughed at this, "It's almost class," Hermione consulted the large clock above the doors, "we should get going."

"Walk with us, Harry," Ron said and they all stood.

"Sure," Harry followed them, "where are we going?"

"Monday, Wednesday and Friday we have Herbology first," Hermione said and then began to rummage through her bag, "here's your schedule, I forget to give it to you when we visited last."

"Thanks," Harry took it and consulted, already he liked Fridays and Wednesdays best, he did not have Potions those days. Admittedly, he liked Snape more, he was just horrible at the subject, and simply because the professor liked him better didn't mean he would loose evil face in front of the class.

"Come on, Professor Sprout is probably already there," Hermione said.

"How? She's still eating a bean and cheese omelet in the Great Hall," Ron pointed his thumb behind them at the hall.

"She's a professor Ron, she can do those things," Hermione answered. Hufflepuff students swarmed around them, laughing and greeting each other. "We have herbology with her house this year."

"I can see," Harry said, "what are we studying?"

"Black Horned Souchle plants," Hermione offered, "they're big, bulbs with horns. We're harvesting their nectar right now."

Harry checked his watch, the meeting wasn't for another two hours, "maybe I'll sit in with you, just to have some idea of what I'll be doing."

On the tables of Greenhouse 12, there were large black buckets, numbered One to Eighteen. The whole place smelt like the sweetest flower Harry'd ever imagined, there was the scent of rain, of the forest and warmth, brown sugar and cocoa. It was entirely intoxicating and Harry had no idea a plant could ever smell that way.

That and it was mixed with sweat from the students. Harry peered into one bucket and saw an incredibly ugly, wrinkled black orb with six massive black spines curling up from assorted places.

"Is that a Black Horned-whatever?" Harry asked Hermione.

"A Black Horned Souchle?-yes," she nodded, "they're not pretty but I'm sure you can smell their nectar."

Harry nodded back at her, "that's comes from those?"

"Yes," she answered, "rather odd, isn't it?"

Harry agreed and looked at another one, "their nectar is used in love potions," Hermione told him, "I assume you smell the most wonderful scent?"

"Yes," Harry agreed, "how?"

Hermione shrugged, "they eat people, they have to attract them somehow."

Harry did a double take and his jaw dropped, "they eat people?"

"Of course," Hermione said, "what would the horns be for?"

Harry backed from the buckets, "I'm going to go," he informed her and she smiled at him.

"Be careful," she said.

"You be careful," he cast a look at the buckets and left the greenhouse.

"Get off of me," someone shrieked in the cold morning air and Harry stopped to listen. He placed the voice as Pansy's. Something was wrong. She yelled again and there was the sound of someone getting hit. Harry hoped she was doing all right for herself, being a powerful girl and right dangerous, but he went towards the noises anyways, to be certain.

Pansy was backed against a tree, her wrists tied together on the other side of the tree. She bared her teeth at the dark figure and raised a boot, landing it right in his stomach. Harry watched as he drew his wand, as he straightened up the hood fell off to expose a Death Eater mask.

"You will make Misses Malfoy leave," he commanded and Pansy snarled at him.

"I'll not do anything," she answered and dug her toe into the ground, "so bugger off."

"_Imperio,_" he said and the spell hit her. Pansy immediately went still. "Good, now, you will convince Misses Malfoy to leave and lift her magic from the school."

Pansy was struggling against the curse, her eyes turned from dull to vivid, "I'd rather castrate you with a spoon," she said sincerely.

"How did you escape my curse?" he backed away a step.

"I'm a bloody Parkinson," she answered and strained against the ropes tying her back, "I can do a lot of things," blood leaked from the binds.

Harry stepped forward, "_stupefy_."

Before he could do anything the Death Eater fell to the ground. Pansy turned her wide eyes to Harry, "what are you doing here?"

"Helping you out," Harry answered and she smiled.

"Thank-you."

Harry burnt the ropes and saw her wrists were rather badly cut up, "you should get to the hospital wing immediately."

"I should," she nodded and pulled her wand from his robe. "_Leviosa Corpus_."

He body floated a long after them as they went quickly to the Head Master's office. "Broodle Tarts."

"Yes m'boy?" Dumbledore looked up as he entered. "You're quite early."

"There was an attack," Harry moved aside and he saw Pansy levitating the Death Eater in.

"Oh my," the Head Master stood up.

**Sweet deal.**

**I have written through about Chapter 20, I'm so damn inspired. Thus you need not worry about loosing updates. 18 will rise up, Thursday or maybe even Wednesday of next week. Either one. **

**Bernard says hey, the boys say hi, I say hi. I love the reviews I get, if you continue to review, I'll continue to be inspired and thus write more. :thumbs up: **

**Happy exam season! I've got three days of it next week, two a day for two hours each, however, I'm not worried, nor do I mind, exams are fine. **

**It's the people who over-stress that bug me, I'm not about to stay up to 3 rereading my textbooks, reading a good slasher, maybe, but not textbooks.**

**Anyways, love and prosperity and slash for all!**

**A teaser: **

Draco's mind shut off at the contact and his pulled Harry's hips closer by wrapping his legs around Harry's. One last thought found him in his haze. _Blaise was right, you're such a school girl for him._

Harry firmly decided he was not doing _this_ for Sirius.

**That's an actual quote from a later chapter. Review!**

**HAZAH AND LOVE TO ALL! **


	18. The Alcove

"Oh my," the Head Master stood up. "What happened?"

"I," Pansy seated herself without being asked and popped a lemon drop, "was walking towards the broom closet by the pitch for a quick smoke, as is my ritual before showing up to Muggle Studies ten minutes late," she said and pulled a pair of Thor Smoke cigarettes from her boot. She took out her wand and lit one, setting the other aside, as if her story was going to take many hours.

"I was out there, full enveloped in making myself a new excuse," she said, taking a drag and exhaling, "when I heard a cat mewing from the woods behind me. I've never been a fan of felines so I stubbed the fag," she took another drag, "and started heading back to the castle. Since my smoke break was shortened I took the long way, heading back up to the main doors." She took another long breath in on the cancer stick, "I passed by the Greenhouses and paused to chat with Silvia Plather, a Ravenclaw who helps me research plants on Sundays."

With a moment's contemplation she inhaled on the cigarette again, "I can't say I know where she was headed but Ryan McCorn gave her sort of an anxious look when he passed her by. In any case, I was about to start going again," another drag, "when a hand gets me round the mouth. He gets me into the wooded area and throws my bag off to the side. I knew it was a Death Eater right off, they all smell like mold and, inexplicably, like cooked deer meat." She thought that over and inhaled again.

"He tied me up, we did a little bickering, a little slapping and then I yell a few times and Harry, my hero, came for me. There's your story," she said and observed the cigarette in her hand. It was not nearly half done, she smiled, "always did like this brand." She commented and inhaled again.

Dumbledore looked at the Death Eater, he'd been deposited on a couch, and then he turned back to the Slytherin girl, haloed by smoke. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"A bit bloodied," she offered her wrist to show him. "But otherwise, I'm fine."

"The Ministry official will be here in a few moments, is there anything else you'd like to add?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said and showed her teeth in a smile.

"Harry?"

"That's the story," he agreed. He did wonder if Dumbledore should know about the Death Eater's demands, forcing Misses Malfoy to leave the campus. He had mentioned lifting her magic from the school. He assumed, from that, that the Death Eaters had made an attempt to enter the castle and something had thwarted them.

"Go see Madam Pomfery about your wrist, Harry, accompany her." Dumbledore turned to the Death Eater and raised his wand.

Pansy grabbed her cigarette and walked down the spiral staircase with Harry. He leaned to her, "why didn't we mention what he asked for you to do?"

She glanced at him and took a drag, "it was irrelevant and it was a load of bollocks, not at all sane."

"Do you know what he meant though?"

"I told you," she turned her fierce eyes to him, "it was the insane rambling thoughts of a Death Eater."

Harry nodded but knew something was going on that he was not clued into. They reached the doors of the infirmary, "what is it?" Madam Pomfery barely looked up as the entered. She had a large pair of tweezers and was pulling a spine from the thigh of a fainted Third Year boy.

"Just a quick healing," Pansy answered and looked around, taking a last drag on the cigarette.

Pomfery gave a tired sigh and waved her over, she clasped the spine and popped it out with an all mighty heave. A light green pus oozed from the tip of the spine and from the wound. The mediwitch healed the boy's thigh and turned to Pansy.

"Ms. Parkinson, I must insist that you put that out immediately," she held out her hand.

Pansy dropped it to the ground and twisted it under the toe of her boot, "out," she said and showed her wrists.

"What happened to you?" the mediwitch asked immediately.

"Handcuffs were too tight," she said and sent a smirk at Harry. The mediwitch's eye twitched dramatically, her hand also made a miniscule motion towards slapping the young girl. Harry turned scarlet. Madam waved her wand and the wounds were healed but she did not do anything else, waving them off.

"Thanks," Pansy gave a sugary sweet smile and left with Harry on her heels.

"Was that crack about the handcuffs necessary?" Harry hissed at her.

"Sure," she nodded and swung her bag over her shoulder, "if I hadn't said anything, the old bag wouldn't have twitched the way she did."

"That may have been funny and all but I'm never going to get treated right in the infirmary again," Harry said as he ascended a random stairway with her.

"Then don't end up in the infirmary," she said, turning left down a dark hall.

"I-" Harry stopped when he realized he didn't know where he was, "where are we going?"

"I'm headed to Muggle Studies," she answered and descended a spiral stair case leading into a glowing, warm room smelling of cocoa and coffee.

"This isn't a classroom," Harry followed her into the room. It was furnished in warm sand tones, beige wood, dark gold walls and carpet, the cushions on the couches were coffee colored and the fire crackled cheerfully, sustaining a kettle of hot water. Harry looked around in awe, wide eyed.

"This is the Prefects Lounge and Study Room," she answered and pushed on one of the stones of the wall. The section grumbled and opened a circular portal into another corridor. Harry hurried after her and they emerged into the Muggle Studies Hall. "I'm here, you can stop following me," she said and smiled at him.

"Ah-yeah," Harry nodded and looked down the hall he had just left and then down the one he had just entered.

Pansy made to leave but stopped, "by the way, thank you."

Harry looked at her in confusion for a moment, "oh, sure, don't worry about it."

Pansy chewed her bottom lip and then cast her eyes around the hall, "Draco really like the theatre, read a few plays, then you'll have a conversation starter."

Harry smiled at her, "thanks Pansy, you know, I don't think you're helping just to get out of marrying that Spanish guy."

She rolled her eyes, "he's my friend and, surprisingly, I think you're becoming one too."

Harry grinned more at her, "you're half late to class."

"It doesn't matter," she said with a shrug but still began to walk to the room, "Professor Moquid likes me, and besides, who wants to learn about the pornography industry anyways?"

She laughed and pulled open a door, there was a great scuffling from inside, "Ms. Parkinson, you're significantly later than usual."

"Sorry Professor," she said in an angelic tone, "I was held up helping a friend," she winked at Harry and slid into the room.

Harry chuckled and went down the hall, taking a more familiar route to the main entrance of the castle. He stopped dead when he heard voices and slid into a dark alcove, straining to hear them.

"Bugger off," the voice belonged to Draco.

"Come on, you know it's true," Blaise sang at him.

"It is not and if you even mention it again, I'll rip your balls off and give them over to the squid."

Blaise gasped, "gods, all I do is make you realize your true heart's desire and you threaten to sterilize me? I'm shocked, hurt and completely humiliated."

"You've not been shocked since that time you stuck your finger in a light socket at that muggle store. You've not been hurt since you fell out of Chauncey three and a half years ago and you've not been humiliated since Pansy told your mum you snogged a bloke in second year."

Blaise made a noise, "see if I ever try and get you a boyfriend again," it sounded as though Blaise was striding in Harry's direction.

"Blaise, good gods, calm down," he went after his Italian friend.

The other boy herumphed and paused, just feet from the alcove, "I'm perfectly calm, you're just a bastard."

"I'm nothing of the sort," Draco snapped back.

"You know what you are," Blaise crossed his long, dark arms, "albeit you're not a literal bastard, but you are a jerk."

Draco took a few steps towards him, then stopped and turned around. He took many multiple steps to the stair case they had ascended moments ago, he whirled back then. He looked about to speak, index finger pointing at Blaise accusingly. He stopped again and then dropped his hand, "screw it."

"You're acting like a regular wizard Draco. Trying to replace St. Potter in the Gryffindor house? Really, you're starting, stopping, blushing and getting flustered when all I do is mention him. Acting like a love-sick Third Year," Blaise uncrossed his arms while raising his arched brows.

Draco turned once more, in the process picking a candle stick from the candelabra at his side. He lobbed the candle at the Italian, receiving a squeal and an infuriated look.

"You bloody wanker," Blaise put his hands on his hips and took striding steps towards the blonde. "What was that for?"

"Go away Blaise, I have a meeting with the Head Master," Draco waved a hand at him and started down the stairs.

"Fine," Blaise huffed and spun on his heel.

**I admit, this was a little bit shorter than usual. I updated it sooner than a week though, does that count for anything?**

**The teaser from last chapter will be found in next chapter, so wait just one more week and then -SLASH ACTION FOR ALL!-**

**I hope you're all satisfied with story, I'm trying very hard to maintain a plot and not write a smutty plotless smut smut story. Some of you may want the plot to die and the smut to rule, others may like the plot-ness. I like the plot-ness, it's a little shady but hey, I'm one girl. It's all sort of working towards a goal though. Promise.**

**Bernard and I love you all. **

**LOVE LOVE LOVE**

**FireStorm00X**

**ps- no teaser but! - I will, if reviews are posotive, update even sooner. :D You know that just convinced you to review. admit it.**

**:hugs and kisses and love: **


	19. The Pot

Harry waited until the two sets of footfalls disappeared, Blaise rushing past his alcove in a fury. Harry slid from the dark, dusty corner and began towards the Head Master's office.

"Broodle Tarts," Harry said the name of the oddly shaped gummy products and the gargoyle moved aside, watching him step onto the stair case.

"Harry, glad you could come," Dumbledore motioned to the other chair in front of him.

"Of course professor," he noticed the tall, strangely colored man sitting in another chair. "Sir," he nodded to him.

The official nodded back without any feeling, he was green eyed with dark hair, Russian features. His skin was of Oriental complexion though he had no other marks of that descent. He took out a long piece of parchment and a sharp steel quill, dipped it in black ink and set it on the parchment. The quill stood on its own and waited for the official start of the interview.

" 18 September, nine thirty one in the morning. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, office of Head Master Albus Dumbeldore, Official Dreziak Xian is questioning. Mister Harry James Potter and young Lord Draconis Lucius Malfoy are responding. Albus Dumbledore is moderating." The quill scratched this out and then waited for more words.

"Where were you two during the attack on the Hogwarts Express, 1 September, five thirty in the evening?"

"Compartment seventy-five, sir," Draco answered, "Mr. Potter and I were both there."

"Anyone to verify this?"

"Young Lord Theodore Milo Nott, young Lord Blaise Ridex Zabini and young Lady Pansy Reneva Parkinson were all with us."

"What happened that caused you to enter the hallway of the train?"

"The train came to a sudden, jarring halt," Harry answered, "Theodore looked out the door to see what happened and saw the Death Eaters coming towards us."

"What did you do then?"

"Blasted open the window of the compartment, we told Theodore, Pansy and Blaise to get First, Second and Third years off the train then run to the school to alert Professor Snape and the Head Master. We weren't but a few minutes from the school so it was not a great distance."

"Then?"

"We entered the hallway, we could see Death Eaters opening compartments, searching for someone."

"I used the Cescarpian Curse to incapacitate one."

"After conjuring a shield, a dual started between us and them." Harry said, "we took down the small group fairly quickly but it wasn't long before all the other Death Eaters on board were alerted and came for us.

"A Cruatias curse destroyed the shield, and-and I froze, shocked."

"One of the Death Eaters fired a Killing Curse at him," Draco said.

"He pulled me to the ground, barely avoiding the curse."

"I conjured a Eternalis Majora and when all were down Mr. Potter petrified them. The Head Master then arrived."

Xian nodded and watched the words appear on the parchment, "can you describe the curse you were hit with, Mr. Malfoy?"

The blonde shifted in his seat, "during the fight, a curse, red mostly with sparks of gold, what I've come to believe was a Aquaria Metamapha curse, struck me. I did not realize until we had beaten the Death Eaters, it becomes distorted thereafter. I remember, though, the feeling of water rising over my legs and then closing over my head," he took a breath, as though the feeling was returning, "there's nothing more."

Xian nodded again and turned to Harry, "what about when you were stabbed?"

"Ms. Parkinson was accusing me of letting Malfoy get hurt, she was angry and my attention was on her instead of the Death Eaters. One of them, Vargial, escaped his restraints and came up behind me. I turned but he struck before I could do anything, I think the dagger was the same one used during my Triwizard Tournement confrontation with the Dark Lord, it was used to draw my blood to resurrect him. I also worry that it may have been magic, one that would not let blood clot, so I bled to death. It's a reasonable explanation." Harry added.

"I see," Xian turned to the Head Master, "what of the attack today?"

Malfoy's brows furrowed, "what attack today?"

"You have a transcript of Ms. Parkinson's and Mr. Potter's accounts of the attack," he said, "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy you know the way," he motioned them out.

Malfoy looked about to say something but went after Harry instead, as they descended the stair case, "what happened to her?"

Harry stepped into the hallway and cast his green eyes at Draco, "let's find somewhere to sit, then we'll talk."

Draco nodded and they walked the twisting hallways in a weird silence. Harry thought maybe they would go to the Prefect's Lounge or the Room of Requirement but instead he found himself standing in front of a green and white pot. It was huge with Chinese dragons carved around the base in jade. The lid sat, porcelain and shining with a thin layer of dust. Malfoy shifted it to the side, and motioned to it.

"What?"

"Get in," he said. Harry followed orders and stepped in, onto a stair case. Harry followed it down, ducking so he wouldn't hit his head on the ceiling as the steep stairs led him into a wide, open room. There was a long table marked with the Hogwarts crest and ten high backed chairs. There were two chairs for each house and the last two, one at each end of the table, with the crest on them instead. Harry swept his hand over the table and was rewarded with a small cloud of dust.

"What is this place?" he asked as Malfoy appeared.

"The Heads and Prefects used it as a conference room, their meetinsg were held here. Sit," he motioned, much as the Head Master often did, to a chair.

Harry seated himself and watched Draco slid into a Slytherin chair, "I suppose you want to know about this morning."

He nodded, "is she okay?"

"She's fine, in Muggle Studies in fact," Harry said, "I was coming from the Greenhouses when I heard her shouting. A Death Eater had tied her to a tree and was trying to put her under the Imperius curse," Harry waited for Draco's reaction, but his face remained stoney, "I stopped him, we went to the Head Master and left the villain there. Pansy was healed and I walked her to class."

Draco nodded, "did you hear what he wanted her to do?"

Harry nodded in response, "get your mother to leave the campus, lift her magic or something, I don't know what he meant though, your mum's a regular witch, right?"

Draco raised a brow at him, "of course, that makes this all the more odd."

"I know," Harry agreed.

Draco stood, "thanks for telling me."

"Wait," Harry stood up quickly, "are you all right? This is kind of a scary thing, attacks on school grounds and all I-"

"I'm fine, it's the younger years should be worried about, they need our support right now." Draco thought for a moment, "didn't you have a little defense group last year?"

Harry nodded, "Dumbledore's Army, the DA, yes."

"I seriously doubt the Dark Lord will stop sending Death Eaters, the attacks can only get fiercer and more frequent from now on. How would you and the Gryffindor Group of Goodness feel about resurrecting the DA?"

Harry looked at him quizzically, "why does it matter to you?" he sat down again.

"I'm a philanthropic creature Mr. Potter, I worry about the future of the wizarding world and, sad as it may be, the future is the First Years. We mustn't let them all die in war. My proposition is," he reseated himself, "turn the DA into a specialized training program to teach Fourth Year and below students to defend themselves if they come into conflict with a Death Eater."

"What if they choose to become followers?"

Draco furrowed his white brows, "I know of any who would be so persuaded and, believe me, they've been convinced to leave such ambitions in exchange for the Light Side."

"So all the students below year four want to join Dumbledore and the Ministry?"

Malfoy nodded, "all of them."

"What part do you and the Slytherins want to play?"

"Make this a required program, I'll talk to the prefects next meeting but we will _not_ involve the teachers or Dumbledore. If we do there are restrictions, guide lines and all matter of barriers we have to cross to get this going. We do it Slytherin style; underground."

"How do we work it?"

Draco touched the crest on the table and parchment, quill and ink appeared. He drew out a times table, "Mondays and Wednesdays are First and Second years. They'll be split into groups that rotate. First week it's Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Next week Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. The last week will be Gryffindor and Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Then it goes back into rotation," he wrote this out on the table. "Tuesdays and Thursdays will be Third and Fourth years, same rotations. The groups will be taught by the prefects of their houses and you will jump from group to group."

"That's a major commitment, what about classes?-homework?-Quidditch?"

"We'll work it out, I can, if you have no moral objections, get a pair of very intelligent Seventh Year Ravenclaws to do your work for you. Either this group practices after dinner until curfew or you do."

Harry looked over the schedule, between the time classes ended and dinner there were two hours. He could practice then on Fridays, and on Tuesdays after dinner. He observed the schedule, considered Hermione's reaction, considered Ron's, the impact it would have. He thought back to what Voldemort had said: _I've decided that we should be ready by winter, the seventh snow._

With some reluctance about how exactly he would pull this off, Harry agreed, "If you're sure this will work."

"I'm sure," Malfoy gave a nod, "it will need some refining but I think we can work that out as it comes."

"I can't say I like this," Harry stuck out his hand to shake with Malfoy, "half-baked ideas have a habit of become well done problems."

"Sounds like something my mother would quote," Malfoy shook his hand, "we're not half-baked either, a little undercooked, perhaps, but never half-baked."

Harry stood and they went back to the steep stair case, "we should probably start deciding what to teach them," he said. Malfoy's idea was perfectly setting them up to spend consistent, focused time together. Harry decided the entire scheme Misses Malfoy created was now rolling on its own without too much pushing or struggling. He worried briefly about the conversation Draco had with Blaise, about who "he" was. He worried that Draco was getting very close to figuring it all out and sinking the plot before it was very far along.

Malfoy began up the stairs, as he ascended Harry found himself watching the blonde's butt, just in front of his face. Draco paused to open the lid, flipping over so he was on his back on the steps. Harry continued up to follow him out. Draco closed the lid and slid back down a few steps, shock and fear in his eyes. Harry immediately realized the blonde was literally beneath him. Somewhere between standing, crawling and laying, here they were. Pressed between the stairs and the ceiling, face to face, chest to chest.

"What's going on?" Harry breathed.

"The ministry official's out there with Dumbeldore, Snape, McGonaggle and a pair of big ugly men," Draco whispered back, his breath ghosting over Harry's face.

Harry swallowed and nodded, he found himself staring into the silver eyes looking at him.

Draco stared back into Harry's dark green eyes. His heart rate was fast, not just because he was almost caught either. Harry's hands were on either side of head, supporting the broader boy above him. Draco had his feet on the same step as Harry, they were on either side of Harry's. This made Draco rather aware that he was half laying, half standing beneath Harry Potter with his legs spread.

There was a silence, they stared at each other, nervous. Harry felt his pulse quicken when, with a soft grinding, the stair case pushed them closer. _Bloody castle_ Draco thought as he pressed against the Gryffindor. Their chests were together, hears thundering against rib cages separated by skin and two layers of clothes.

Had Draco not leaned his head back onto the step, their faces would have collided rather painfully, however this exposed his white, silk skinned throat to Harry. With some mental jarble running through his head, somewhere between doing it only for Sirius, feeling desperately horny, and genuinely being attracted to Malfoy, Harry pressed his lips against the pulse below him.

Malfoy gasped, shocked and lightly out raged but it disappeared as Harry found the single spot on Draco's neck that made him melt into a horny, willing puddle. It rested just below his ear, near his jaw. He groaned and brought his hands up to the Gryffidnor's shoulders, holding him where he was.

It became hot in the stair way as they shifted against one another and Harry's growing erection pressed the Slytherin's. Draco's mind shut off at the contact and his pulled Harry's hips closer by wrapping his legs around Harry's.

One last thought found him in his haze. _Blaise was right, you're such a school girl for him._

Harry firmly decided he was not doing _this_ for Sirius. This was because, as Narcissa predicted, he was quite attracted to the blonde. It had become less physical, though that was still there, it was growing into a deeper attraction, to his mind, his art, his emotions. Harry had no idea what to do with those feelings.

Right now he was dragging his lips to the blonde's.

Sparks rushed from the kiss, it was closed, existing and slow in the sudden frenzy.

Draco's mind awoke again and he opened his eyes a little, fear pressing through his emotions. His masks fought to exist again, his mind rushed with whiplash speeds back to the present.

He pulled his lips away and breathed deeply, Harry stopped and matched his breathing. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I can not believe we did that," Draco answered, his thoughts came to order, "I'm not about to turn into a sissy school girl and fall into your arms."

"I never expected you to," Harry answered.

"What did you expect?" Draco asked, the stair case seemed far roomier now and he found himself seated on a step, feeling sort of as he did the day Sasha turned on him.

"I don't know," Harry admitted, "I- since the train I've been…I don't know. When you asked me if I was gay, I was so reluctant to answer because, sappy as this sounds, you're the only bloke I've ever been even sort of attracted to. I don't want you to think I'm some fantasy dazed school girl but it's true."

Draco shook his head, banishing the attraction to the edge of his mind, "I concede I'm attracted to you, and this," he motioned between them, "was nice. I'm flattered really that I'm your first boy-crush. Why me?" he asked suddenly, very suspicious and self conscious.

"Have you seen yourself?" Harry felt as if he were explaining something to a child, "you're the best looking guy in Hogwarts. But it isn't just that," he sighed, "it used to be, but we-I'm getting to know you better, I think, and I like what I know."

Draco made no expression, "what do you want from me?"

"Right now I want to be your friend, like we talked about on the train."

He nodded, "and we work together on helping the lower years."

"Of course," Harry's shoulder slumped a little, "we'll talk?"

Draco allowed a small smirk, "of course. I told you, this was nice."

Harry stopped him though, "I don't want to be a five day boyfriend." Draco was surprised. "and I don't want to be just a shag or a snog. If we do this again, it's for keeps."

Draco gave him a full Malfoy smirk, "we'll see."

His masks were flawless, as always. Inside he was either cheering like…well a school girl or he was singing and burning the emotional baggage from Sasha.

Harry gave a curt nod and then Draco went back up and peeked through the lid of the pot. "We're clear."

They slid out and dusted themselves off.

"Talk to you later, Malfoy."

"You too, Harry," Draco answered and walked into a shadowy corridor.

**Oh Hoorah.**

**That was so much fun to write. It makes me go "EIIEEE!" like a little girl. I hope you liked it too. I will be leaving tomorrow for California so no updates for about a week. Sorry, however, 20 is written and wonderful. In WORD this story is 119 pages and that makes me incredibly happy. It's really long and really great. There's another slash scene written and ready. It's a little angsty but not anything you would mind methinks.**

**This makes me cry: **

**Chapter 18 got 40 reviews. **

**That has never happened to me before and it makes me that happiest author to ever exist. The support this story gets makes me super happy. Bernard is happy, Celia is happy, (they have four new baby bunnies).  
Harry and Draco also fully support the impending slash and story.  
Narcissa and Severus support finally having a plot-line.  
Blaise supports having a personality.**

**I support you all!**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------- this much of my heart is dedicated to all of the reviewers. If you review you get a space in my heart too!**

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**FireStorm00X  
ps- Happy Christmas/Channukah/Kwanza/holiday ritual.**


	20. The Snow Family

**:Slytherin Common Room, 9.13 PM, that night: **

"Wait," Theo held up his hands, one facing Blaise and Draco, the other facing Pansy, "what are you on about?"

"You were attacked, Pans, you didn't tell us, let us know," Draco said to her.

"I'm fine, I'm not emotionally torn or even bruised. I'm not crying, secretly frightened or bothered by it. I admit, my wrists are sore and my confidence in the security here is shot. I am fine though, you two are reacting exactly the way I expected you to, overprotective, like my father."

"We're not being overprotective Pans. We're just shocked, and worried about you," Blaise said. She let out a great breath of air and fell back onto the leather couch she had stood from a moment ago.

Blaise Zabini had always had the ability to calm her, something about him eased her stress and caused her to open up, "love, just talk to us."

She motioned them closer and her three best friends immediately seated themselves around her. Theo to one side, on the couch, Blaise to the other on the arm of the couch and Draco knelt on the floor, resting his arms on her legs and watching her intently.

With a calm tone she recounted the experience to them and how she was rescued. She told them what the Death Eater had requested and Draco nodded along, confirming he was told the same by Harry.

"What do you think he meant?"

"Two options," Theo stated and held up two of his fingers, "one, the Death Eater's a nutter, or two, your mum's hiding something."

They looked at each other, "the former is more likely."

"True," Pansy nodded, "he seemed sane enough otherwise."

"They all do."

"Are you certain you're all right?" Blaise asked, not believing her original claims.

"I was fine when we faced the Dark Lord, I'm fine now."

Blaise nodded, "of course, how about I get us some tea and éclairs and we get that Fifth year acting troupe to perform something for us?"

"That would be fun," Pansy said and smiled, "I'll turn up the fires."

She stood and flicked her wand at all three of the large fireplaces in the common room. Each was surrounded by a semi-circle of rich leather couches, chairs and black wood tables.

Blaise slinked out, moving into the shadows outside the Common Room. Theo made a motion to a wiry boy who approached with an interested look on his face, he had an odd gate, somewhere between a lope and a walk.

"Do you think you and your troupe would like to do an impromptu performance?"

He raised his red brows, "I think we could handle that, give us a few minutes to brainstorm." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of his friends and fellow actors. "Get the rest of the snakes to come?"

"Sure," Theo nodded and went to the message board that was connected to the individual ones in year's rooms. He tapped the sheet and, using his wand tip, wrote out that a performance would occur in the common room in a quarter of an hour. Draco and Pansy began to rearrange the couches and titled the floor of the common room up to give it the feeling of a theatre.

Blaise returned after quite a few minutes with two house elves carrying trays of éclairs and tea cups and a tea pot. He also had his boyfriend in tow "Sit," he patted the front and centre couch. Pansy and Theo seated themselves on the same couch and Draco took up residence in his favorite wing-backed chair.

People streamed in as the performance drew closer, they found couches, friends, comfortable floor seating and even tables. As Slytherins had the habit of doing, the whole thing became a lot of improv games where they made fun of Gryffindors.

**:Gryffindor Common Room:**

Ron huffed, he turned, grabbed the nearest table and dragged it to the bookshelf. He proceeded to climb on top of it and successfully grab the book he'd been reaching for.

Hermione gaped at him, "Ronald, respect the common room furniture."

"Hermione, honestly, it's a table," he responded and sat back down, opening to a page and copying down a paragraph of information.

"I hope you're planning to edit that," Hermione said, eyeing his essay suspiciously.

"Of course," he lied and closed the book again. He returned it to the shelf, "hey Harry, aren't you reading about Treelings?"

He'd received some of his homework that day. He wasn't expected to make-up all the work, but a certain amount. One of them was an essay from Hagrid about creatures. He was assigned Treelings, commonly called Wood Nymphs.

"Yeah," he affirmed

Ron grabbed a book and dragged it down, the volume was easily a thousand pages thick and covered in enough dust to drown Crookshanks. The cat had just then taken up residence in the warm spot Ron had left.

"My god, what is it?" Harry drew back when the book landed in front of him. The dust flew up and settled in his hair, on his glasses and clothes, and in the still-wet ink on his History of Magic essay.

"History of Nymphs, Wood, Water, Fire and more by Louis McPhersonange," Hermione read off the spine. "That's really helpful, I wonder why it was here instead of the library."

"Someone probably lugged it up here and refused to take it back, damn thing," Ron made an exaggeration of the strain his arm was on when he carried it. He, without looking resumed his spot, forcing the cat to hiss and jump out from beneath him, narrowly avoiding a squashing.

"Ron!" Hermione held out her arms and the cat ran into them, glaring at Ron.

"What? Either he moved or got sat on, those were his options, either way, I sat down," he answered.

She glared at him too and then continued her essay.

Harry read into Wood Nymphs, ignoring the situation entirely.

_The Wood Nymph, or Treeling, has existed for as longer or longer than recorded history. These Eastern and Central European creatures make their first appearances as daughters of gods and demi-gods in Greek mythology. They existed first as beautiful maidens and, if pursued or endangered, were turned into trees. _

_The myths, though, vary from the truth about these creatures. Admittedly they are predominantly female, and hold two forms. One is that of a beautiful, earth tones maiden or woman, the other is that of a tree. They come in specialized species, oak, maple, alder, cedar, and other tree species. Treelings blah blah blah blah blah-blabitty blah. Blah blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah._

Harry stopped dead and reread the last pair of sentences, but they remained the same. He blinked, looked around and then read them again, nothing changed.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?" she turned to him.

"What does that say?"

"Treelings live to be many hundreds of years old. This is due to other form, as can be expected." She read and then looked at Harry oddly, "why?"

"No reason." He answered and shut the book, "I'm tired and should sleep."

Hermione gave him another funny look but nodded, "sleep well."

Ron took his chance as well, "I'm probably going to crash too, see you in the morning 'Mione."

She nodded and returned to her work. No one else was around, all asleep or in their rooms so she looked around as Ron and Harry cleaned up their belongings, piling them into their bags.

The door opened and the three looked up at it.

Narcissa entered, a heavy cloak around her slim shoulders. She spotted Harry and walked quickly to him, "sit," she commanded. He did as he was told and Ron thudded back to his seat as well. Narcissa slid onto the couch as well, causing Ron to stare at her in awe.

"My dear," she said to Harry and then saw Ron, she closed his mouth and then turned back, "I was told about what happened, this morning, with the Death Eater. Draco told me about it. I must know if those were his actual demands."

"He wanted you to leave and lift your magic. We didn't know what he was talking about, Narcissa. I- what did he mean?"

She let out a sigh and shook her head, "I'm really far too old to deal with these sorts of things. He was insane, false claims," she said. "I am sorry you had to be involved in such an event, I'm going to the Dark Lord in a few days to ask that he stop these attacks."

"No!" Harry jumped up, "he'll kill you."

"He'll do nothing of the sort." She answered.

"I-" Harry looked at his friends. "This summer, I broke into Lucius' tower, I found his mask," Narcissa gasped, "it turned into a portkey and took me to a meeting."

"My Gods, are you okay?" she asked, wide eyed. Harry saw, from the corner of his eye, that the fire got bigger suddenly.

"I'm fine, but…he said…he's attacking with the seventh snow."

She seemed to be thinking, "We must go to the Head Master."

The group rushed from the room, "go to Dumbledore, I'm going to get my son and his friends," she called and disappeared down a corridor. Harry and his friends came upon the gargoyle and ascended the stairs into his office.

"Head Master," they called and he appeared from within a trunk in his night robes.

"Yes?"

"Narcissa sent us, it's important, about the Dark Lord."

Dumbledore took his seat and it wasn't but a moment later that Narcissa, Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Theo and Snape all arrived.

"What's going on?" the old wizard asked.

"The Dark Lord is going to attack with the seventh Snow."

"What?" he shook his head, "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"December the nineteenth."

"What are you talking about Lady?"

"The Snow family," she breathed and seated herself elegantly.

He looked at her and the rest of the people, confused and interested, seated themselves on other chairs and couches.

"In ancient wizarding, the Snows were a family. Six hundred years ago, Voldemort Snow, had seven daughters. The last daughter was born on the nineteenth of December." She said.

"Why would the Dark Lord care about the daughters of Snow?" Dumbledore asked skeptically.

"They were an ancient legacy, an ancient power, one of the last of their kind. The Dark Lord idolizes the family, they were not evil, just incredibly powerful. The first Snow daughter married into the Malfoy family, and the next into the Black family. The final, Aiera, was married into the Gaunt family. This family was descended of Salazar himself, and in time, also bore the Dark Lord we know today," she explained.

"So, he's honoring his ancestor?" Harry asked.

"Yes, and in himself, he believes the powers of the Snow family have lain dormant, all he need to do is find someone to teach him how to use them. He believes the Black and Malfoy families carry the knowledge."

"What does that mean to you?" Snape asked, he knew exactly what was happening.

"He believes the magic lays in me and I am using it to protect the school from attacks. He wants me taken, to teach him."

"Would you?"

"It's a legend, no truth in it," she answered. "I do not think it would be safe for me to be alone in the Manor when he so fiercely hunts the legend."

"So you wish to endanger the student body in return for your own safety?" the old man asked.

Something flared but calmed, "I wish only to protect my sons," she answered icily.

"Sons?"

Snape looked at her with some worry, then at the Golden Trio, "I wish only to protect my sons," she narrowed her turquoise eyes as they grew darker.

The man nodded grimly, "the nineteenth of December, that is now much time to prepare."

"Sir," Harry said and he and Malfoy exchanged a look, "all we need," he covered, "is a strong shield that expels any with the Dark Mark."

Snape nearly smacked him, "I'd not be able to teach then," he said.

Harry nodded, "or it can require approval by you or McGonagall to enter. A sort of gated community," he said.

They looked around, "that's complex magic, Harry," Dumbledore said, "something I'd expect a Malfoy to think up," he looked pointedly at Lady Malfoy. She narrowed her eyes at him.

Narcissa Malfoy, daughter of Black, wife of Malfoy, descendent of Snow. She had lied about not knowing what great power Voldemort desired. She was the daughter of Black chosen to know and use that power. It was the monstrous, dangerous ability to use raw magic directly from the magical core of the planet.

**Hoorah. That was a good chapter, hopefully not tooo confusing or wierd or anything.**

**Let me tell yooo about my holidays:**

**We went to my grandfather's first for three days, until Christmas Day: his wife, my step grandmother, is the most chaotic person ever. We spent three days lifting, wrapping, moving, shopping, cleaning, eating, decorating, cooking and doing all other manner of laborous activities that made my mother give me money for being good. My step grandmother has a horrible little yippy, bug-eyed dog that poo'd everywhere and shed. :( That place is not exactly the best. I got a rad skirt and make-up though.  
**

**Then we went to my Busia's (boo-sha, a Polish grandmother) house in Fullerton. My cousins all came and we ate Polish food, got money and then started throwing whiffle balls into the cieling fan. They spun around and then shot out really fast. We had to take my new baby cousin Rylan out of the room so he wouldn't get injured. Then my cousins and uncles started a battle with badmitten rackets and whiffle balls. Kyle got a perfect circle on his forehead, it's going to scar. We then ate more Polish food, drank some coffee, played a lot of cards and came home. **

**I hope you all had really great holidays. I got the most wonderful shoes (Doc Martins) and they're super and I'm going to wear them to a show and kick some ass in a mosh pit. I'm a very happy author. **

**The rabbits are fine. It is very nice to be back in Washington with my car, my rain and my slash. **

**YAY!**

**LOVE LOVE LOVE**

**FireStorm00X**

**Happy New Year!**


	21. The Breakup

**:Severus Snape's Quarters:**

"What the hell was that?" Draco slammed the door shut after the Gryffindors had filed in after the Slytherin gang.

"What?" Harry turned on him.

"Calm down, that wasn't at you, just the gathering in general," he said and put his hands on his slim hips.

"I must admit," Snape said, "the Head Master is showing more and more bias against the pureblood families."

"Bloody old bugger," Narcissa snarled and went to the window bench. Everyone looked at her, startled. "If he once again accuses me of endangering anyone, I'll wring his wrinkled old neck and have him cooked for Christmas dinner."

The group took a tentative step away from her. She relaxed and leaned against the wall, her eyes moving to stare out the window. "He doesn't understand," she said, "your idea was quite good and if I had the authority I'd enact it immediately. Dark Magic my father dead arse," she said.

"Don't take your father in vain," Snape said and she shot him a look.

"I'll take whomever I want in vain, Severus," she snapped and they sensed her magic flare again.

"You're emotional mum, calm down," Draco said and she nodded. "I never knew we were Snow."

She sighed, "I want you to keep your wide mouth shut about this," she said.

"Of course," they nodded and found places to sit.

The sat on trunks covered in books, cauldrons full of books, stacks of books placed randomly around the room, book covered tables or even just the floor.

"I never told you because it is ancient, hereditary magic, it is impossible to train someone to use it if they do not have it in them already. The magic does not exist in the Dark Lord, that is that. I did not want to give you possibly false hope of carrying on the line."

"What's it do?" Ron asked.

She cast her eyes to him and nodded, "I am what is called the Keeper of Magic."

Hermione gasped, "you-you're the Keeper of Magic?"

The Slytherins looked at her, "did she not just say that?"

Narcissa explained to the Gryffindors her connection to the core of magic in the planet, the raw magic. She explained that raw magic was unrefined, pure, straight power. Refined magic was weaker and the kind used in spells and wand magic.

"It is also said there the magic of wizards and witches gone is reabsorbed and their…abilities, I suppose, are connected to the Keeper when they use raw magic. Normally it is an incredibly toxic substance, it corrodes, destroys and kills, but in the essence of the Keeper, it is neutralized and does not kill them."

"It's a legend, there has not been a Keeper of Magic for two hundred years," Hermione shook her head, "it's impossible."

Narcissa raised her brows, "this is the world of magic, my dear, nothing is impossible."

"How?"

"I explained my connection to the original Keepers of Magic, the Snow family?"

"Y-yes."

"Then there's your answer," she said and looked at her son and read his expression, "you need not worry, until I die, you will not be influenced by your heritage."

"But," he said, "I am the next?"

"It is you, or Chael."

"In theory it could also be Bidelia," Snape said and they looked at him skeptically.

"Honestly?"

He smirked, "it could happen, Lucius has as much of their magic in him as you," he said to Narcissa.

"However, Bidelia will have half what Lucius has, Chael is gifted from both mother and father, as Draco is."

"You have Snow in you too?" Pansy asked.

Snape nodded, "I managed to escape the Nordic coloring of the family, though."

They chuckled. "Did you know about this?" Harry asked, "is this why the Death Eater wanted you to get Lady Malfoy to leave?"

Pansy looked at her, "we've always known Mum Malfoy is the Keeper. When we were young the Dark Lord tried to get us to off her. I did not know it was the Snow family that caused it. I'm really rather worried, Mum Malfoy, you have to stay here now. Otherwise the Dark Lord's attack will be truly devastating."

She nodded, "we must talk to the Head Master and prepare," Narcissa said.

Draco stood and nodded, the students left, yawning, as the clock struck heavily on midnight. "Go sleep," Narcissa followed them to the door, Snape remaining where he stood, against a wall.

"You sleep," Draco countered. Narcissa connected to the raw magic and zapped him withjust atiny bit. Draco yelped and rubbed his arm where she'd touched him. "Go."

Draco nodded and went to Blaise's side. Harry, Ron and Hermione started down the other hallway when Narcissa gave Harry a pointed look. He waved his friends off and returned to her. Draco looked between them and walked away, Blaise began to talk about a romance novel he was reading, something about the Miracle of Merlin.

"Yes ma'am?"

She pulled him back in and sat him down on a trunk, "how have things been going?"

Harry turned scarlet and told her, mumbling, that they'd kissed and the proposition was on the table. Now the whole thing was in Draco's hands. Narcissa nodded approvingly.

Snape looked more than a little sickened at the idea of his godson snogging the boy-wonder, but not due to any bigotry, he simple was not a huge fan of the black haired boy.

"Go to bed," she said, "we'll talk again in a few days."

"Yes ma'am," he nodded obediently and left, following the stone walls through Hogwarts towards the tower he slept in.

**:Seven and one half hours later:**

"Bloody hell," Ron grumbled and rolled over in bed, he slammed his fist onto the clock and it snoozed.

"Fuck," Blaise yelled and hurled the singing goblin alarm clock across the room into the fire.

"My gosh, Ronald," Hermione appeared in their room and saw the heavily dented clock.

"Bugger," Theodore watched the goblin melting, buzzing loudly as it was eaten by the blazing fire. That was the third one they'd lost that year.

"Come on," Harry and Hermione dragged the red head from bed and towards the bathrooms. Harry shoved him into a shower while Hermione went back to her dorm to change. Soon enough they could hear snoring from the shower he was asleep in.

"Get up you lazy sod," Theo hurled a book at Blaise. Draco and Nott left him be and entered the coed, communal Slytherin bathrooms. Pansy was singing along to a Twitching Tigers song on the radio, popping in and out of her shower to sing into a shampoo bottle.

Twenty minutes later the Gryffindor trio, sans Ron, was walking to the Great Hall.

Thirty minutes after abandoning Blaise to sleep, the Slytherins were swaggering into the same Great Hall, smirking at everyone in their path.

Ten minutes into potions, Ron appeared, glaring, ruffled and a little damp.

Another ten minutes later, Blaise appeared, preening, perfect but quite pissed looking.

Snape paired them together in the back of the room. With a growl Blaise sat closer to the Slytherins and with a similar growl, Ron sat closer to the Gryffindors.

Their best friends may have been trying to go together, but that didn't mean they were friends. In fact, they did little but sit and glower during the entire lecture, luckily for both, it was not a lab day and they did not have to worry about brewing a potion.

"What are you pissed about?" Draco leaned across the aisle.

"What do you think you great git? Left me to rot in bed, you did," he snapped and turned to face his potions text.

"Come off it Blaise, you weren't going to wake up if the Dark Lord himself did the mambo in a green frock. You destroyed your alarm clock as well, what did you expect from us?" Ron stifled a laugh at the mental image but Blaise seemed unaffected by it.

"At least an attempt," he answered.

"We did. Theo wanted to pull off your comforter and set that Third Year's cat on you, Pansy stopped him, too bad though."

Blaise glowered, "you're a prat," he said and unfolded a copy of the Prophet and began to read Rita Skeeter's column on the back page. "Since when is Lucia Ameritas a crack whore in New York?" he asked.

"Lucia Ameritas? She's living in Florence attending Berince College of Wizarding Fashion," Draco said.

"Not according to Miss Skeeter she's not," he handed the article to Draco who read it over and contained a laugh.

Ron glanced over at the photograph, a pretty, mid-twenties woman standing on a street corner in a short skirt with her hair tousled by the wind. A man appeared in the picture, they talked and walked away together. The picture then stopped and repeated again.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would please put down your copy of the news, we may continue?"

"Yes sir," he nodded and folded up the paper. Blaise snatched it back and reopened it to the middle somewhere, making a racket as he did so.

"Mr. Zabini?"

"Yes sir?"

"Put down the paper," he said.

Blaise quirked a brow at him and then returned to the paper. Snape drew his wand and pointed it at the paper, it exploded into flames. Blaise yelped and jumped into of Ron's lap. The paper was incinerated and lying in ashen shards all over his chair, desk and book by the time Blaise realized what had happened. Glaring, he slid of Ron, who was scarlet, shocked, and stammering.

"Bloody old man," he muttered.

Snape turned over his shoulder and shot them a look. He ignored it mostly but Ron felt his old dislike of Slytherins rise up. They got away with quite a bit during Potions, Gryffindor house would be in the negatives by now.

**:Defense Against the Dark Arts class:**

"Isn't she great?" Ron asked halfway through class.

Cuida, dressed in a rather tight red and black robe set was handling a grey orb that was sort of a floating ball but mostly a liquidy looking mass…that was floating. She was talking about its uses in the Auror department, it had something to do with restraining suspects. Harry was, admittedly, not listening to a word she said. He was fairly sure only the girls were listening, most boys were preoccupied with wondering how she managed to not pop out of her very tight, very low cut robes.

"These can be specialized," she said and then followed the gaze of the nearest boy to her chest. Cuida raised her brows smirked to the girls and then threw the grey orb at him. It spread out and wrapped around his arms and abdomen and around the chair, then solidified into what appeared to be steel.

"If you'll kindly redirect your eyes to my face," she pointed to her nose, "if you don't I may be persuaded to turn you all into crabs and have you for dinner with my boyfriend," she said. "You remember him, Professor Locke."

The boys all gulped, Locke was dashingly handsome, tall and obviously very strong. There eyes remained unfalteringly on her face the rest of class as she removed the boy from the grasp of the object, called a Grinita, and continued to describe its uses and properties.

The door was pushed open and Seventh Year girl walked in, mostly using her hips, and handed the teacher a note, "from McGonagall," she said by way of explanation and sauntered back out of the room.

Cuida read it over, again, and a third time, "your schedules have been revised due to the addition of a new class just prior lunch. All Gryffindor and Slytherin sixth years report to lecture hall four-two-zero-six on the Third Floor for Wizarding Families and Polotics."

"Hmm," she hummed and set the note aside, she consulted a clock, "only a pair of minutes left, may as well just leave."

They left and moved in a great herd to the Third Floor. The lecture hall was quite large, with steps down to a stage where a massive blank backdrop hung against the far wall. A podium was standing in the centre of the stage and many of the seats were filled with Slytherins.

"I wonder what this is about."

The rest of the class filed in and seated themselves.

Narcissa Malfoy walked onto the stage and smirked at them. Boys who had just come from Cuida's class grew a little restless, they thought 'two gorgeous women in a row?' It was so unfair. "I am Lady Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius Malfoy, daughter of Black and Mervaute.

"You may wonder why I have come to teach here, why on such short notice, why this subject and why me. I will not be explaining myself to you. This course is to teach you how to operate in the exceedingly complex world of Wizarding polotics, to do so you must understand the backgrounds that most of the men come from. You will learn about Wizarding pureblood families, their history, legacies and tendencies. We'll bestarting with the most ancient families, beginning with Ershè." She whirled around and pointed her wand at the backdrop. On one side, at the very top, there appeared the name Orchid Ershè.

"She was the first known witch of the family, they were originally a nomadic tribe that hunted deer and elk in France. In twenty-three B.C., she began to refine the magic she found herself able to do. Orchid, as she is now called, her original name was Irenesalel, is credited with the creation of many spells dealing with earth.

"Early magic dealt almost exclusively with using the elements, they had no need of turning porcupines to stools." She moved her wand over a plant set on the stage, the leaves shuddered and grew twice their size, "old magic is often most potent. They did not use words, only strict concentration and the magic in their blood. Orchid is so called because she focused on herbs and earthen magic, as I mentioned."

She explained of Orchid's three daughters and three sons, all of whom had her magic. Their names appeared on the backdrop beneath her name. Two were killed, their names were crossed out, and only two went on to have children.

Harry watched, during the forty five minute lesson, as they made it all of four lines down the lineage. Lunch came and she dismissed them, immediately receiving her son on the stage.

"What is this about?"

Narcissa smiled at him, "this morning Professor Dumbledore came to his decision and signed me on as a professor. I think it was quite wise of him to do so," she said.

"Why am I enrolled in this class?" he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Posterity," she answered.

Draco threw his hands into the air, "I would much prefer time to study for my other subjects."

"I would much prefer to be in Rome seeing Avid's Metamorphoses but we can't always have what we prefer."

Draco glowered, "some mother you are."

"Want to get zapped again?" she asked and held out her thumb and index finger, a sparkle of raw magic jetted across them, sparkling blue.

He puffed out his cheeks as an upset child would, "no mum."

She nodded and shooed him off to lunch, "you go eat some food and apologize to Blaise."

Draco nodded grudgingly and exited the room, running into Harry in the process.

Harry had been halfway to the Great Hall when he realized his book for History of Magic was still in the lecture hall. He returned, about to enter when Draco exited, straight into his chest.

"Oomph," Draco was about to fall but Harry's arms wrapped around his waist just in time to save him from impact with the wall.

"You all right?" Harry asked, realizing who was in his arms.

"I'm fine," Draco looked into his green eyes, "I did not mean to run into you, I should watch where I'm going," he admitted with a smirk.

"I should too," Harry added and pulled Draco up into a straight and standing position.

"Where are you headed?"

"I forgot a book," Harry said.

Draco nodded, "I'll see you in the great hall," he murmured and slipped from Harry's arms, down the hall and out of sight.

Narcissa had disappeared but his book remained by his seat. Harry picked it up and left, following his original path out. Inside he saw Narcissa seated next to Snape, they were talking about something, and Cuida on her other side, was listening intently and throwing in comments which were taken and expanded on and discussed.

Harry sat next to Hermione who was glowering at the fact that Ron was focused more on the two women than the fact that most of his food was ending up in his lap.

"Ronald, you're making a mess," she hissed.

He snapped from his daze and groaned, "bloody hell, 'Mione can you fix it?"

"Why? So you can soil them again while watching Lady Malfoy and Professor Cuida?"

"Come on," Ron whined, "I thought we had this worked out, they're nice to look at and all but I'm dating you."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, "if you can't keep your eyes off older women, then maybe we shouldn't be dating."

"What?"

The table began to stare at the two so Hermione lowered her voice, "you've never once looked at me the way you look at them."

"Because they're-" Ron stopped himself from saying something truly harmful, he then realized there was nothing to say that wouldn't make her mad.

Hermione clenched her jaw, "I see, why are you dating me Ron?"

He stammered, "you're a great person, 'Mione, I fancy you."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it-"

"Are you physically attracted to me at all?" she asked, nearly whispering.

Harry would not have wanted to get involved for anything. Between the conversation they were having and fighting three angry Hungarian Horntails, he would always take the dragons.

"Of course," he answered.

"Then why don't I ever see you acting like it?"

"It's not the same, 'Mione, you're a different kind of pretty, it-it's not as obvious."

Hermione narrowed her eyes further and slammed her fork to the table, "I really don't think this will work Ron, if you can't tell me why you fancy me, if you can't find any words at all to describe it, then I'm not interested."

Ron got angry then, "why can't anything just be with you? Always got to get complicated, explain it, analyze it. You know what Hermione, you're right, like always, this won't work. Not while you're a self-conscious, nagging little girl."

She gasped and most people were staring at them. With her head held high, Hermione Granger stormed out of the room, all eyes on her. This included the hazel eyes of the Italian Slytherin who felt a little guilty for perhaps causing her to bring the situation to a head.

People broke into whispers and Lady Malfoy was looking apprehensively between the doors and the two males of the Golden Trio.

**Dun Dun DUN! Hermione and Ron broken up! It's true my dears, it's true, but it makes way for more wonderful things. **

**This story has 600+ reviews. **

**That is more than I have ever recieved for any story, ever, in my history of fics. I would like to thank you all so much and I will dance for you- :Happy Slash Author Dance: **

**Okay :still dancing: I had a great New Year, hope you did too, school is horrible, rwghhshgopaasd! My computer is being taken in to have the data transferred from my sister's account to her new laptop, since she's in Germany and her old one died. I did get this Chapter and 22 onto a disk and I have them, just in case the computers take a long time. I have through 24 or so written, that makes me giggle and so...:dance some more:**

**I love you!**


	22. The Kamakaze Owl

**:Shag Terrace, 10.45 that night:**

"Blaise?" Hermione slid onto the terrace.

His figure was silhouetted by the white, rising moon, "did I cause that whole situation today?"

She was a little startled, "no, it was coming anyways. He looks at Lady Malfoy and Professor Cuida so differently than how he looks at me. He looked at Fluer the same way, it's pure attraction, I've never even seen a hint of it in his eyes when he sees me. He's more protective of me than anything else."

Blaise nodded, "I felt real bad about it, thought I caused the split of the World Wonder Three."

Hermione laughed and went to sit beside him, "oh no."

"How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked.

"I was coming here to think, and in thinking along the way, I realized you may be here too."

He nodded, "I come here to think," he said, "most people don't think I do a lot of thinking."

"Why?"

He shrugged, "I'm a face and a name, not a brain." She was about to say something when he cut her off, "when you hear my name, you do _not_ think 'his comment on the bonds between Julli blood and Numphle puss in a Sleeping Draught was quite insightful,' no, of course not. I've never commented on a Sleeping Draught, Numphle or Julli in my life. What you do think when you hear my name is 'my gods, he's one gorgeous Italian.'"

Hermione laughed.

"Other people think 'Zabini? Oh shite, we must comply or we'll be tortured for sure.'" He added. "I'm used to it though, it's a great excuse to blow off studying."

"I'm sure you're smart," Hermione assured him, "you helped me."

He shrugged, "I can spot a cute face, I can't spot a spelling mistake."

She shrugged back, "I couldn't tell you the names of three designers in the Wizarding world."

He sighed, "don't turn it into a competition trying to make me feel better."

"Sorry."

"You want some real advice?"

She nodded.

"Get shagged or get some confidence."

Hermione blinked at him, "what do you mean?"

"If you were more self assured, like if Krum had the nerve to snog you senseless, then you wouldn't have this problem of your boyfriend ogling other women. Mum Malfoy is a very confidant woman, that's attractive, Cuida; confident thus attractive."

Hermione nodded slowly and thought for a long few minutes, "you think Viktor's still single?"

Blaise smirked at her, "I know he is, he keeps me updated."

"You two know each other?"

"Honey," Blaise laughed, "we're cousins."

"You are?" she gaped at him.

"We are, his mum is sisters with my third father."

"What?"

"Don't worry about it," he answered and turned to observe the sky.

She took the hint and stood, "someday, we'll talk…"

He nodded.

"You know," she said, "if you're interested, I host a study group in the library on Sundays, it's just a few of us, maybe you could come and…we could help you with work?"

He shot her a smile and nodded again, "I'd like that."

She grinned and disappeared back into the castle, on the other side of the door stood Ron, arms crossed over his chest, cheeks tinged dark red and a horrid scowl on his features.

"This why you broke up with me? Sleeping with a Slytherin?"

"What?" Hermione let her mouth drop open, "Ron, honestly, he's gay, got a boyfriend and I broke up with you because you're a shallow, thoughtless pig."

He turned a darker shade of red, "Where do you get that rational?"

"You look at Cuida, Lady Malfoy, Fluer, like they're goddesses, like they're the most beautiful women in the world. You have _never_ looked at me like that, never. I've never, ever seen you look at me with even a tenth of what they get when you look at them. All I want is for you to think I'm pretty, that I'm worth it. All I wanted was some sort of emotion in your eyes other than jealousy, greed and boredom. The only reason we ever went together was because you didn't want anyone else to have me, you never really liked me, admit it, Ron, admit you never felt that strongly about me."

He glowered and wrinkled his nose, "you're right. How could I ever fancy a horrid little beaver like you?"

He turned and rushed off, storming past some second years who screamed and leapt from his path. Hermione let out an enraged scream and went in the other direction.

Blaise, from where he sat, let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. Clouds rolled in. He frowned and straightened up, searching the school grounds, something was amiss. With a deep inhale he closed his eyes and focused himself. His mother, Desdemona, had taught him to search the magic in the air for any dark arts or maliciously cast spells.

With great concentration he searched the heavy layers of magic that surrounded the castle. He waded through great amounts of ancient, powerful magic before sensing it. It was a more powerful, darker version of magic than he had ever encountered before. It was akin to something that could be found in a Malfoy Estate. He assumed it was Narcissa, tapping the core or her emotions tapping it for her and venting her anger in the form of a horrid thunderstorm.

Blaise searched the magic for another few minutes. Part of his training was to pinpoint magical signatures and infer emotions. He found Ron in the Gryffindor Common room, fuming and angry but not very remorseful. He found Hermione wandering old corridors, also fuming and depressed.

He sighed and removed his mind from the layers of magic surrounded the castle and withdrew into himself. It was impressively cold, he realized, and it had been raining for a while, his shirt soaked through, hair dripping and pants sticking to his legs.

"Bollocks," he muttered but did not stand.

**:September the 26th:**

"Bollocks!" Draco made a noise and hurled a book across the Slytherin Common Room, it slammed against the wall just above a First Year's head. He screamed, perhaps wet himself, and ran to his dormitory.

The Ice Prince, however, did not care and just glared at the fire. Pansy raised her brows at him, "aren't you going to explain."

"No."

He stood and left, walking up many stairs and into an abandoned classroom. He sat on the teachers desk and thought.

_You're being a bastard, he's in limbo, you're in limbo, it is one word; Yes. Or it is a different, singular word; No. Either way, you're better, he's better_. For a moment Draco thought he'd resolved the issue.

_Why yes? Why no?_

With a sigh he mulled it over some more.

_Yes: a) he is quite good looking, and that is a requirement. B) You're fascinated by him, whatever changed him, it did a good job. Albeit, he was amusing then, as a witless, bumbling Gryffindor. He is now even more intriguing, the change is what intrigues me, perhaps, but either way. C) He's actually interesting, talking to him, working with him, no matter the situation, he is interesting. D) He shares some of my hobbies or at least he shows some interest in them. E) Because he's a Gryffindor he's more likely to be moral and nice and such fluff. F) He is not Sasha. G) You already bloody fancy him_.

Draco frowned.

_Why do I fancy him? Reasons "A" through "E" should cover it. H) he's damn good kisser_.

Draco wiggled his nose, trying to get some feeling back to it as the cold had drained it. He looked out the dust clouded window and nodded.

Nothing left to do but find him.

**:Unknown Location:**

"I won't allow this," Voldemort hissed and slammed his fist again the arm of the chair. "Kill her."

"You kn-" Julian stopped when he realized what the Dark Lord had commanded, "What?"

"Kill her," he snarled back.

"_Kill_ my aunt? _Kill_ the most powerful woman in the world? _Kill_ her? I wouldn't go near her for anything," Julian held up his hands.

Voldemort growled, "she will die."

"Then her son, young Lord Draco, will inherit the magic, not you, not me, he's got more of a vendetta against you than his mum. Really think killing her will do you any good?"

"Do it," he nearly screamed. "I will not let her throw my plans. I will not fail."

Julian turned his eyes skyward but nodded anyways, "I'll call upon Lucius."

"Good."

Julian turned and slid through the heavy doors to the rest of the castle.

"Bloody old coot, thinks he can kill the…" his words became grumbles as he entered a dark room with only a chair and a fireplace.

"Lucius Malfoy," he said and hurled some powder into the fire.

The other man's head appeared, "yes?"

"Lord Voldemort would like you to kill your wife," he said and put out the fire.

Julian exited the room and found his way into the darkness of the dungeons. He found a cell, dark, damp, stinking and wretched. Inside sat, against the far wall, a beautiful white haired man, much like any Malfoy. His eyes were shards of ice, ready to cut the skin like glass.

His skin, normally a pristine alabaster was darkened by soot, bruises and blood. Julian sneered at him and received a glare in return. Today he was restless, the creature in the man was pacing, frustrated and hungry for revenge and blood.

Julian quickly walked away, for he was scared of that man. Being the lover of the Dark Lord was proof of just how horrid a person or creature had to be to scare Julian, and only two things had ever made the list. Narcissa Malfoy was one of them. The other, well, the other was the man in the cell. The magic required to keep him hostage rippled off the cell, a constant drain on the Dark Lord's energy. The walls were crumbling already, the bars to the cell were dented and breaking.

He found the cell he was looking for and unlocked the door with a wave of his wand. Violet Parkinson blinked at him a few times, her ebony hair was matted and raggedy but she retained her beauty.

"What?"

"Just coming to talk, we grew up together, Vi," he answered.

"That's logic I used to be released," she answered, "didn't do me much good."

"No," he shook his head, "I suppose not."

"Why did you come, Julian?"

"I need a favor," he stated simply. "Gordon Ilurre was just captured on Hogwarts grounds for trying to put your sister under the Imperius-"

"Is she all right?"

"Far as I know," he answered and continued, "Lady Malfoy is there and the Dark Lord thinks she's the one keeping Death Eaters out, Ilurre was only able to enter by using an incredible amount of strength and concentration to mask himself. The loss is a big blow to Voldemort."

"And?" she glowered at him through her dark brown eyes.

"You may be able to get in and kill Lady Malfoy without being killed. Ask to take refuge there, to escape us. Make sure she dies," he said and saw her odd look. "Do it by choice, or do it by force," he drew his wand.

"You'll imperio me?"

"I will."

"To think I grew up with you," she drew her upper lip back in a snarl. "Fine, I'll do it."

Julian nodded curtly, "don't think you can escape either," his voice became snake-like and cold, "I'll be keeping an eye on you."

**:Hogwarts Owlry, September 28th, 6.00PM:**

Blaise watched birds flying around. The hay on the floor was a distant gold blanket over dead mice and droppings. He pulled his cloak tighter around him, eyes waiting to spot the long winged grey bird. Deeter was his mother's favorite owl, his large green eyes always made her feel close to her first husband, Blaise's father.

He was sitting on the highest beam of the owlry. He'd climbed up there a hundred times to wait for the stubborn, self-absorbed bird to fly in. He learnt in first year that Deeter refused to fly among the "common" owls and so perched himself on the highest beam and would not fly down for anything.

Blaise always waited for the creature on Wednesday evenings, when his mother's letters arrived.

He saw a white bird coming at him, rocket speed. With a squeal Blaise dodged it, clinging to the rafter for safety. The bird circled back and landed, eyeing him angrily. It stuck out its leg and he recognized it as Potter's owl, Hedwidge or something.

"What?" he looked the bird over and saw the parchment.

"I see," he took the letter and saw it was labeled to Draco. With a roll of his eyes Blaise stuffed it into his pocket while the white bird flew away. Somewhere Deeter was speeding at him, angry for being in the bitter autumn.

**:Slytherin Common Room, September 28th, 6.16PM:**

"Draco," Blaise slammed the wall shut and walked across the wide, dark room.

"Yes?" he looked over his shoulder at the Italian.

"You have a letter," he set the simple white roll of parchment on the table in front of the blonde.

"Do I?"

"Aye, I was waiting for Deeter when a white owl attacked me." Blaise sat down near by and unveiled the massive letter his mother sent.

Draco opened the letter and saw a few words in Potters odd, slanted, slightly broken script.

_I'll be there._

He grinned and glanced at the clock. There were five and three quarter hours until he was due on Shag Terrace.

It was generalization that people went to the Astronomy Tower. Gryffindor House went there. Ravenclaw had a tower with windows and long couches. Hufflepuff had a secluded little garden. Slytherin, of course, had Shag Terrace, technically called the Archer's Terrace.

Draco stood and began to pace, suddenly restless.

"Blaise," he whirled around.

"Yes?" Blaise looked up from the letter.

"Can I borrow your coat?" he asked.

"Which one?"

The Italian was acting a little oddly, he asked no questions, nor gave any inquiring looks as was his disposition.

"The black pea coat," he clarified.

"Sure." Blaise nodded and returned to the letter.

Draco left, a little preoccupied by his upcoming meeting to notice Blaise's odd behavior.

The reason could be found in his mother's letter. Desdemona was getting married, again, eighth time. This new man, the painfully oblivious and controllable old Minister of Magic in Croatia, was head over heels in love with the splendid Italian woman. Blaise could not blame the man, for his mother was very good at what she did.

"Thanks," Draco went through the Common Room rather quickly, shutting the wall with a thud.

Blaise did not notice, he was reading the specifics of the wedding. It was to be a massive, international event with plenty of dignitaries and family and nobles. His mother wanted to wait until Chael was born so the wedding was in August. After Draco and Harry's birthdays, well before Blaise's and just enough time to plan a way to off the Minister after the will was changed.

The Italian read the rest of the letter, disgust forming in his stomach as he read through it. He loved his mother, no question there, she was a resplendent, helpful, powerful woman. She did everything for her son, her only child, but Blaise still found himself offended and sickened by what it was she did.

He folded the letter and left the Common Room. It was not often that Blaise thought, he did seem to be doing it quite a bit recently, however this occasion was a bit different. More than usual he had been thinking about Cole, the blonde Ravenclaw, he was trying to decide if his feelings were more than lust. Blaise doubted Cole really like him. How could a brainy Ravenclaw go for an air-head Slytherin? It did not bother him though, for he knew very well that he was not exactly valedictorian material. Blaise had never minded before now. Now he could not carry a conversation with Cole, they barely spoke, it was just physical. It annoyed the Italian to no end.

He went through the castle, listening to portraits talking, and staircases moving in the dark. After a great many staircases and hallways he stopped.

Staring at him was a large woman in a pink dress, she raised an eyebrow. "Password?"

"What?"

"Into the Common Room," she said and looked at him oddly, "you're a Gryffindor, right?"

Blaise nodded and observed the area around him. He'd never been into the Common Room, at least, not when he was sober enough to realize it.

"Lion's Pride?" he offered. Some first year had been repeating it to himself in the hall yesterday, Granger must have just changed it.

She huffed and the portrait swung open. Blaise peeked inside and saw only one figure by the fire, he recognized Granger, even from a distance.

"Hermione?"

She whirled around, "Zabini? How'd you get in here?"

"Luck," he said and walked in, looking around the smaller and cozier circular room, "nice place."

She nodded, "it's home."

He nodded back, "what's going on?" he noticed her tear stained face.

"Ron was being horrible today, I cannot understand why he thinks I'm being unreasonable."

Blaise took the opportunity to seat himself, "I'm not sure if this applies to straight boys, but let me tell you this; when a boy finds himself caught in the act, like Ron staring at other women, he immediately tries to turn it back on you, or at least deflect it. Boys do anything to avoid the full force of a break-up, so they get mad, they get into fights, get smashed or stoned. Anything. Because we're men we're supposed to be rock solid, iron fisted emotionless baby makers. We're not. I don't know if Ron is like this, however, to avoid betraying the stereotype of an emotionless brute by being hurt by the break-up, boys like to get mad."

"Did I overreact?"

Blaise thought about it, "if you really think there was more emotion in his eyes with them than with you, then no. It may have been girlish jealousy but if he can not understand your feelings then obviously you two would not have worked."

"You're right, of course," Hermione admitted and watched the fire, "how're you doing?"

He shrugged, "fine, as usual."

She nodded, "are we…friends, Blaise?"

He raised his dark brows, "I'm not as worried about house rivalries as my fellow snakes, so yes, we are."

"Then tell me what's wrong, I've spent six years as Harry's friend, I can tell when someone is hiding something from me."

He shrugged, "my mum's getting married again," he admitted and she smiled.

"That's great news Blaise, who is he?"

"The Minister of Magic for Croatia, he's a rather nice fellow, rich and that's what she cares about."

Hermione gave him an odd look.

"He's eighty nine."

She gasped.

"I know, but I cannot complain. When the will changes, so will his breathing," he saw her confusion, "as in it will stop. My mother has been married seven times, this is eight."

Hermione looked even more shocked, it if was possible, "really?"

He nodded the affirmative. "Of course, every one of them is dead within a year."

She reached a new level of shock, "how?"

He looked at her in disbelief, "can you not make an assumption as to why?"

"She killed them?"

He nodded.

"All of them?"

He chuckled and nodded again. "I'm used to it all by now," then he stood, sensing the approach of Ron's distinct magic (it was angry, uncontrolled and needed to prove something) "your fellow lions are coming back."

"How do you know?"

"My mum did more than teach me that purple and red clash. Hereditary magic, I'll explain later," he waved at her and went to a suit of armor in the corner. He stepped on the toe and it stepped aside.

"What's that?"

"Secret entrance," he said with a grin, "we'll talk Granger." He disappeared into the opening where the suit of armor stood. When he was gone the suit returned to its pedestal and regained its pose.

**Hoooope you liked it. I promise more Slash Action to come! More plot + more awsomeness wonderful-ness.**

**I love you all...and I have very little else to say...**

**LOVE**

**FireStorm00X**


	23. The EVEN MORE DRAMATIC Breakup

**:Midnight, Shag Terrace:**

"Malfoy?" Harry walked out and saw the cloud of cigarette smoke that created a shining white halo around the blonde.

He turned, smiled and stomped out the cigarette, "hey."

Harry smiled back, "how do you and the Slytherins get away with smoking all over campus?"

Draco looked at the dead cigarette butts scattered across the terrace, "it isn't as though any of the Professors will punish us, except Filch. He's not a Professor though and we're not exactly keen on listening to him. Dumbledore lets it slide only for a select few, Pansy, myself, Blaise and Theo, because we're the most intimidating," he said and shoved his hands in his, or Blaise's jacket, as it were.

Harry laughed and then looked around him, "is this where Slytherins go to make out?"

Draco smirked, "technically, it's also one of the most secluded spots in the castle, and I didn't want any interruptions?"

Harry's heart sped up, his mind went with it. "What's going on?"

"I was thinking," he said and paused.

"That a new thing for you?"

Draco smirked at him, "shut it Potter, I'm trying to progress the relationship."

"Then just do it," Harry smiled, his hands in his own pockets and his scarf around his neck.

Draco looked at him and gave him an actual smile, "sure. Harry, I was thinking about us, how I feel about you, what I want and so on. I've decided I'm willing to try this," he sort of motioned between the Boy Wonder and himself, "if you promise me, nay, swear, you're not just in it to prove you can. You didn't kiss me just because I'm pretty, you don't like me just for my name or my inheritance. Swear that there's actually some feeling in you."

Draco was scared sick. He hated exposing himself like this. He hated admitting to anyone other than himself that he fancied Harry Potter. He hated being girly and needy. He hated acting like a sissy and being scared. He hated waiting and he hated how Harry was just standing there smiling warmly in the biting cold.

"I swear," Harry said and he meant it. Somehow, in just a few weeks he had cultivated an impressive soft spot for the artsy pureblood. He hated him for six years and he wondered how Draco had gotten over it. "Do you mind if I ask why you like me?"

Draco raised his eyes and shrugged, "you intrigue me, you changed. I like the change, that's true. I didn't mind you much before, I suppose you were just an easy target," and they chuckled, "we've been spending a lot of time together and in my own way, I sort of fell for you."

Harry smiled widely at him and closed the freezing space between them, "I'm glad."

His heart thundered against his ribcage.

His mind was made up.

Harry watched Malfoy become more and more nervous. It was unlike him to become shy or to let it show. He was most likely still a little shaken from his previous speech.

The cold turned their breath into mist but they did not notice the temperature.

Draco became impatient and raised his mouth to kiss the taller boy.

It was in that second that the thunder clouds above them became to let the rain down. At first it was light, just tapping at the glass bottles fixed to the blocks. It became heavier and louder until a cacophony of bell-like noises broke them apart and they watched the bottles slowly begin to fill.

Harry pulled his arms out of his coat and held the Slytherin to his chest as they stood in the rain, listening to the rain and the music.

**:Dumbledore's Office:**

"Albus, this is complete rubbish. It is pureblood elitism at its best," Fudge shouted and stood in a flurry of clothing. "I demand you send her away this instant."

Dumbledore looked at the Minister, "I do not like her here either, Cornelius, however, it is for her safety and the safety of her unborn child."

"What?" Fudge whirled around.

It was mighty important news when a woman of Narcissa's stature was pregnant. Fudge strongly disagreed with what she was teaching, how it would be taught, the fact that it was the wife of a suspected Death Eater teaching it _and _to top it all off he hated that she was being so agreeable about it all. Even through all that he would never go up against her if she had a newborn on the line. If Dumbledore was ready to allow her to stay there was nothing to be done about it.

"She is carrying a child," Dumbledore clarified.

Fudge nodded and sighed, utterly deflated.

"She will not relent?"

"I am afraid not. If there was anything to be done about it, I would do it. I would not want to go up against her at this time."

"I agree," the two men chuckled. Both knew how women, especially pureblood women, got when they are pregnant.

"Now, you mentioned your nephew is looking to intern for the Ministry?" Dumbledore popped a lemon drop.

**:Gryffindor Common Room:**

Harry rushed in, Hermione and Ron were asleep by the fire, separated by a mountain of books. It was three AM and no doubt they thought he and Draco were up to no good.

Harry was soaked through to the molecule but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He was completely preoccupied.

"I did it," he shouted.

Ron jumped up, yelped like a little girl and face planted onto the floor after loosing his balance.

Hermione let out a tiny shriek and whirled around to face Harry.

"Where have you been? We were so worried," Hermione rushed to him.

"Draco and I," he said and his face broke into a grin that he had not been able to contain since he kissed the blonde last. "We're official, he fancies me, and I fancy him."

Hermione squealed in delight and hugged him, "Harry, that's wonderful. You'll have Sirius back in no time."

Ron had managed to stand and came over, "aye, it'll be nice for you to have something to occupy you."

Harry just grinned back at him, "I'm going to sleep."

"We should too," Hermione brushed past Ron and up the stairs to her dorm.

**:Slytherin Common Room:**

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" A vase shattered against the wall. The students were hidden in the separate common rooms for the genders, away from the horrible tantrum their elder was having.

He screamed again and grabbed the nearest thing and hurled it across the room. He was never very good at controlling himself in these situations and this was particularly horrible. Pansy was cowering behind a shelf, crying in fear.

She was a strong girl and had not cried in the face of Voldemort, nor before her father. She did not fear them. She feared her friend now. In his almost insane state of mind there was no telling what he would do. Pansy hated crying, she was also unspeakably afraid for what he would do to himself.

Another scream and another shattered something.

Theo was using an upturned couch as a shield from shards of glass and anything else that might break.

The fire roared behind him.

He screamed.

Pansy chocked back a sob. His torment was almost unbearable. She cried to hear his anguish, his horrible pain.

It all stopped in an instant and he collapsed.

Pansy rushed to him.

Theo jumped the couch and went to his other side.

The door to the Common Room opened, one person left, a different one entered and the door closed.

"My gods," Draco gasped. "What happened?"

"Blaise happened." Theo said and Draco saw his Italian friend lying on the ground, sobbing.

"He found out that Cole was sleeping with a Hufflepuff."

Draco gaped at her.

"A Hufflepuff girl."

Draco landed on his ass, stunned. "Are you serious?"

Pansy nodded sadly, "He nearly killed Cole to begin with, then he turned on the common room."

"Anyone hurt?"

"Cole is probably scared off his tits, and he's fairly bruised and shocked. A few younger years are scared as well but otherwise just the common room."

Draco nodded and motioned for Theo to help him carrying Blaise to the last mostly intact couch. Pansy went to it first and rolled it over for him to lay on. Blaise recognized Draco, somehow, and grabbed at him fiercely as they laid him down.

"Blaise, Blaise," Draco took his hand, "love, calm down, it's all right. We're here for you. Theo, get some tea and watermelon from the kitchens."

Theo jumped up and ran from the room.

Pansy sank onto the arm of the chair and watched Blaise roll onto his side and pull Draco to him. They connected on a level deeper than anyone else of the quartet did with each other. Pansy did not understand it; she could only fathom the close bond they shared.

"Love, love, calm down," Draco sat on the couch as Blaise curled around him.

"Am I not good enough?" Blaise managed to ask through his tears.

"What?" Draco looked down into the other boy's eyes.

Blaise sat up and started to regain some semblance of self control, "Am I not good enough?"

"You're perfect Blaise," Draco planted a kiss on his forehead, "he does not deserve you."

Blaise shook his head, "why am I so devastated by this?"

"You'll recover, you'll be okay," Draco insisted. "Listen," he looked right into his eyes, "If he cannot see how incredibly wonderful you are, then he does not deserve you. We're going to plan a big party and you're going to dance with me. Then we're going to spend Halloween scaring First Years out of their minds."

Blaise gave a strained laugh, "it hurts. It never felt like this before, never this horrible. Never like this."

Draco nodded almost knowingly, "do you remember when Sasha and I broke up?"

Blaise nodded and seemed confused.

"I was so devastated but then you came in and you told me something and now I'm going to say it back to you.

"You're beautiful and the most incredible person. I love you more than he ever did and ever could, my love is more meaningful because it is not your body I love. It is everything about you he did not love. You are my best friend and that will always mean more than a boyfriend."

Blaise broke into tears again and wrapped himself around the blonde.

Theo arrived back with the watermelon and tea. For some reason, if you filled Blaise with about a half a watermelon he became incredibly happy, no matter his pervious state of mind. He took up a large piece and began to eat without noticing the juice that covered his chin.

He seemed to realize Draco and gave him an odd look, "you're all wet."

He smiled, "Harry and I were outside."

The three looked at him for more details.

"We're official."

Blaise grinned and hugged Draco, "that is most wonderful."

Pansy smiled, "You really fancy him then?"

"Yes I do."

**:Severus Snape's Quarters, the next night:**

"You keep me from my duties," Snape tried to leave for the hundredth time that hour.

"The castle has survived for centuries without you prowling the halls, Severus. Another night will not cause a collapse," she smiled and, in an undignified motion, yawned and stretched under the sheets of his bed.

It reminded him of a much younger Narcissa, before she became Lady Malfoy. When she was sixteen and they, childhood friends, would share a blanket under the sky in the warm summer nights. She liked to watch the stars, in the middle of the ancestral Black grounds in central Scotland. He spent a lot of time with her then, before he was a Death Eater, before she was a mother, before either were married.

"The castle survives but the students will break the rules if I am not there to enforce them," he countered and tried again to leave.

Her voice stopped him, "the students will break the rules if you are there. What does it matter, my dear? Filch cannot stop them, the ghosts cannot stop them, the gossiping paintings and creaking armor cannot stop them. It is in your best interest that you lie here," she spread her arm across his place in the bed, "and sleep with me."

Snape was sorely tempted to leave the dark, cold and empty halls for her side.

She propped herself up on her elbows and cocked her head to look at him sideways, she blinked a few times at him. He relented and took off his cloak.

Narcissa sat up suddenly from her peaceful sleep. Severus awoke with her and watched her turquoise eyes glitter silver in the darkness.

"Someone is trying to enter the campus," she rose and took a heavy cloak from the back of a chair.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and Severus followed her out of the dungeons to the main doors into the castle. Dumbledore had sensed it as well, he and McGonagall were arriving just as the doors opened and a frantic, horrified girl ran in and threw herself to the ground.

"Sanctuary." She called and Dumbledore looked into the night. Several men were scaling the gate to Hogwarts, wands in hand.

"It is granted," he answered.

Narcissa raised her hand and, in a whirl of magic, the men were apparated to central Uzbekistan. The girl raised her head and coughed up a dark red liquid. She let out a strangled noise collapsed again.

Narcissa recognized her build and the silver and emerald bracelet she wore, "Violet?"

Severus levitated her and they went immediately to the Hospital Wing.

"Poppy," Dumbledore called for her and she appeared after a moment.

"What?"

"Violet Parkinson has just arrived and been granted sanctuary."

She saw the girl, "do you know what happened to her?"

"She was being pursued by Death Eaters," Albus said.

Narcissa nodded in agreement and the MediWitch levitated the unconscious girl to the nearest bed. "Perhaps you should alert young Miss Parkinson."

Narcissa looked at the Head Master who had just turned to her. They obviously expected the other to perform what was, though important, a task for a lesser authority.

"I am the Head Master, Lady Malfoy."

"I helped raise the girl, Head Master, she will want to see a familiar face when she awakens."

"I schooled her, Lady, she will recognize me."

"But you are not a maternal figure to her, Head Master."

He had no response. Snape left, shutting the door a little loudly so they knew he had gone. Narcissa watched as Violet was revived.

"Oh, Narcissa, thank gods," she reached for the woman and was brought in to a hug.

Narcissa managed to aim a smirk at Albus before comforting the girl. "Dear, what happened to you that you arrived so far from home?"

"I was studying at Huntshire College of Magic," she said, "I was walking to my dorm when they attacked me. In a panic I apperated to Hogsmeade and ran here. I did not know they could follow me but they did, I was so horribly hurt, my leg, my arm, I know I was at least touched by a Cutting Curse. I am so scared."

"You were returning to your dorm at three in the morning?"

She nodded, "I had been with my boyfriend, Atticus, in his dorm with some other students, I had to return to sleep."

Narcissa nodded knowingly, "of course. Go to sleep, you have had an eventful night, my dear. You'll sleep here until we set up a more permanent residence for you here."

"Thank-you Narcissa, thank-you Head Master, I'll do anything to help around the castle."

"No need, Ms. Parkinson, I-"

"Your sister is coming, would you like to see her?"

"Yes, of course," Violet nodded as the door opened and Pansy shoved past her Professor to her sister.

Narcissa moved and the sisters hugged and began to speak rapidly in French. "We should go." She said and motioned the two men from the room and followed them.

**Jeeeeez, how depresseing was that chapter? Angsty anyone? I know you're probably sitting there like "HOLY JEEBUS! Harry and Draco are dating, Blaise is broken-hearted and Violet Parkinson is gunna KILL Mrs. Malfoy but she don' know it! HOLY JEEBUS!" That's what I did after I wrote this and re-read it. I hope it makes up for the uneventful chapters that preceeded.**

**Oh man, almost 700 reviews and I'm going to start dancing any second. I'm so happy! I know I updated a day later, normally I do this on Wednesdays, but I'm going to start updating Thursdays or Fridays since it IS later in the week. That gives me more time to write in response to reviews, there's more time for you dudes to read and savor the chapter and this way it doesn't anger my mother so much.**

**Someone asked me how I was, here is my answer: I'm fine and dandy; I'm gunna ask a hunka hunka man to Tolo, call him up and put on the moves and hope it works out. I'm also pretty much the God of Props for our school production of Annie Get Your Gun. There are so many big guns that we're using, we've got an fake AK-47 that they use in the shoot out early on. We've put a Matrix spin on the show...I don't understand the drama teacher but it's rad so no complaints. I have a load of tests coming up and that is unfortunate. However, I share both the classes (with the tests in them) with the hunka hunka man soooooooooo they're not too bad. **

**In chapters soon to come: Narcissa vs. The Dark Lord; pre-fight fight. Harry and Draco make out! Blaise eats more watermelon and steps on Ron's foot. Blaise's mother visits. Julian lives at Hogwarts? And! The return of Dreziak Xian, Ministry Official!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm  
ALWAYS**


	24. The PreFight Fight

**:October 3rd Underground Hall (West Dungeons):**

"This is perfect," Draco surveyed the long, if narrow, hall.

"Did Hermione finish those message boards?" Harry asked from where he stood at the door.

Draco nodded and began to walk up and down the room.

They were scoping out locations to train the younger years. All of the prefects were on board and Hermione was so thrilled with the idea she was concocting a new way of communicating the information. The message boards in the Common Rooms were attached to counterparts in the Teacher's Lounge so they could see all the messages posted. Hermione decided to create new, smaller versions with specialized charms to keep anyone over 18 from seeing them. A version of an age-line spell. Ron was excited but wary of the effect it would have on Quidditch.

Harry was trying to convince him not to worry and they would have the pitch every Friday and after dinner. This caused Hermione to worry about grades and homework. Harry refrained from telling her about the Ravenclaws, very nice girls, who were helping him out. He refused to let them do everything but they did help significantly.

"I like it," Blaise entered from a back room, a large slice of watermelon in hand.

He had been eating it and little else for four days.

"It's the perfect width for practicing. They can stand a good twenty paces apart and that will help them with aim too. Then they can run agility up and down the length," Harry nodded and looked at a wall.

"I feel like I'm buying a house," Ron said, "trying to decide if it is just right for what we want."

"You know what it feels like to buy a house?" Blaise asked, raising a brow.

Draco laughed aloud, he had been thinking the same thing. Since he was now dating the Weasel's best friend he was using all his Malfoy training not to say things like that.

Ron turned red but said nothing. Harry knew it was not his place to discipline Blaise and he did not want to be the kind of boyfriend who nagged and tried to change their boyfriend so he said nothing about the laugh either.

"So this is Location One," Harry broke the sudden silence.

"Location Two is the Room of Requirement," Ron said.

"Good," Harry wrote that down.

Blaise and Draco looked at each other and appeared to be having a conversation, "Location Three could be the old High Hall."

"What?" Harry frowned.

"It used to be that the Great Hall was more of a Ballroom than the main area of the school. The High Hall is down the corridor from the Great Hall, usually it's called the Old so as not to confuse the two. The Old had some damage inflicted in a battle a century or two ago so they moved things to the Great Hall while the Old was repaired. By the time they finished everyone was so acclimated to the Great Hall they just kept it that way. We'll show you in a few minutes," Draco said.

Blaise took a large bite of watermelon and nodded.

"How do you know?"

"First off, it's in _Hogwarts, a History_ and second, remember, my family owns this place, we know everything about it."

"Then we just need one more," Ron said and seemed to be thinking very hard.

"Oh hell, we'll use the Great Hall if we must," Harry said and they looked at him.

"Except Dumbley-doo's got spells up the arse on that thing, he'd know if a spider pooped in there, he'd catch us no trouble. Besides, it is in a major traffic area of the school, teachers will see and start questioning."

"What about if we put up spells?"

"We may be good but we're not good enough to evade old White Beard on this sort of thing."

"Is there any way?"

"The Sunday Parlor," Draco said, snapping his long white fingers and acting as though they'd not been talking at all.

"The what?"

"It's a big, circular, domed room out by the Divination tower, 't's got a windowed ceiling and a nice fluffy carpet and loads of nice shite like that."

"Why's it called the Sunday Parlor?"

"It used to be that witches were supposed to spend Sunday away from boys, school work, chores, mothering and anything else so the school had a Parlor built especially so the femms could chat and drink tea and gossip. It has not been used in…" Draco consulted a munching Blaise, "three hundred years or so."

"Is it magically monitored?"

"Maybe, but we can put blocking spells, as we will with all these locations."

"Will people notice a lot of students around?"

"It is right near the Hufflepuff Common Room and in a big intersection so no one will notice a bunch of students hanging around in between classes and supper." Blaise said through his food.

"Good," Harry nodded, wrote down the names and approximate locations.

"Let's go look at the Old and the Parlor," Ron said and the two Slytherin boys led them.

**:Unknown Location:**

"Has Lucius responded?"

"No," Julian answered, concentrating on the book of 13th century Slavic legends.

"Has Violet sent in a report?"

"No," he grumbled.

"Has anyone done anything?"

"Look," Julian stood, "It's only October the fifth, we have plenty of time before the attack. Calm down and wait for a few more days, Lucius will report as will Violet."

The Dark Lord nodded and seated himself by the fire; Nagini slithered up and rested across his chest with her head in his lap.

"Hello my pet," he ran his fingers over her scales, "what have you been up to?"

Julian raised his eyes to look at the ceiling for a second. He had a basic dislike of Nagini, something about her that he did not like. She knew it too and gave Julian a smug look –as smug as a snake could look- before hissing at her master.

Julian simple returned to his book. Nagini was speaking with the Dark Lord. In his long time spent with the Dark Lord, three years almost, he'd learnt to associate certain hisses with phrases or words. He picked his name out right away and a time later something similar to "light side" and "betrayal." Julian felt his upper lip curl in rage; he was making assumptions, of course, but he was an emotional person and at nineteen did not care about much.

He was about to say something when the doors blasted open.

Voldemort was unaffected but Julian rolled off his couch, jumped up and drew his wand, all in a matter of seconds.

"Hello Narcissa," the Dark Lord smirked, still facing away from her.

She nodded, "Tom," and she walked around to face him.

Julian watched her with suspicious eyes.

"Why are you here?" Voldemort bristled and glared at her as she stood before him. Her back was to the fire, the only light in the otherwise dark room. The orange glow lighted her ivory gown and made it look afire. Her hair was glowing as was her skin. Even in the darkness, her eyes were visible, turquoise and now shards of silver were slipping in.

"She broke in, my lord, yet you do nothing?" Julian was watching Voldemort disbelievingly.

"She is a nuisance, nothing more," he answered without ever breaking eye contact.

"Nuisance?" she repeated with raised brows. He was trying to read her mind but he was thrown back every time, "you are going to invade Hogwarts while I and my sons are there, that makes me far more than a nuisance."

Voldemort was on his feet at the mention of his attack, "how did you find out, you horrible woman?"

Her upper lip curled back in disgust, "that is irrelevant."

"How did you find this place? What does Hogwarts matter to you?" he shouted.

"Hogwarts belongs to the Malfoys, as a part of that family it is my duty to protect our investments." She answered, "you were incredibly easy to find, actually. You planned to attack with the seventh Snow, in this you gave away your entire plan, everything about yourself. I made my assumptions and came here; the ancient Snow manor, and look what I find, infestation."

He snarled and raised his wand, "one more word, woman, and I'll kill you."

"You would not dare. My curse upon you still stands."

He tensed.

She began to repeat it, "I curse you Tom Riddle, not with a wand or spell, but I curse you with the very blood in your body, never shall you be victorious as long as I and the children I will bear are in danger by your wand. Renounce your claim to me and any children I may bear." Her voice was threatening, again, much like it had been sixteen years ago. Voldemort felt his rage grow with his fear, rushing through his body as the power behind her curse was resurrected. It was a strange rippling, a stronger, deadlier magic than he had ever encountered before, "renounce it or so help me Merlin you will die a wretched, inhuman coward fallen to a child."

He knew that part of her curse had come true, partially. This new child of hers, Chael, could be the one to finally kill him. With a mother like Narcissa it was ever possible.

"My curse applies to this little, attack, you are planning. If you go through with it you will be forsaken by the very magic that has kept you alive, that gave you all of this," she motioned, "it will leave you and you will deteriorate and die a bodiless soul, split at the seams and lost to the world. What an ending for 'the Greatest Dark Wizard of our time.'"

"Get out you horrible woman," he still had his wand pointed at her.

"Stop your plans to attack," she demanded.

"What will you do if I don't?"

"I just told you that," she snarled.

The Dark Lord glared but said nothing, "_Avada Kedavra!" _

Green light shot from his wand. Narcissa screamed, not in fear but in anger, and it was reflected from some sort of shield. The curse was shot at Julian and it stopped, inches from his face and hovered there.

Julian could smell the evil in the magic before him. It was a horrible, sickening scent, somewhere between decay and blood. Faintly, he could hear screams, small and contained within the curse sitting there, but they were there; death screams.

"You will not attack Hogwarts or you will loose your whore."

Voldemort looked between the two. As useful as Julian was, he was not Hogwarts castle, nor was he ultimate power. The Dark Lord glared at the woman and wondered if she was bluffing, Julian was her nephew, she would not kill him. "Kill him," he shrugged.

Julian knew that was coming and resigned himself to death.

Narcissa smirked at the Dark Lord, "loosing Julian is no great lose, is it? I assume, though, that loosing Atticus would be a great tragedy."

The Dark Lord took a step back from her, "what are you talking about?"

"He is free, here in the castle and I doubt he will leave until he's seen you shredded." With that, the green light hit Julian and they both disappeared into a cloud of darkness as the fire went out.

**:Hogwarts Castle, Seventeen Seconds Later:**

"Narcissa," Severus rushed to her as she appeared in the Great Hall. The students gasped and began whispering loudly as she appeared and the heartless Potions Master was the first at her side.

Julian lay next to her, perfectly still and resembling some sort of fallen angel.

"I am all right, the Dark Lord, I think, will hold off," she whispered the second part.

"What of your nephew?" he looked at the boy.

"He is fine, unconscious but alive," she answered and he stirred. Julian stood very slowly and ran a hand through his white hair.

"What's happening?" Dumbledore reached them, he had been walking without haste from his dinner.

Narcissa watched Julian stand and look around at the masses of bewildered and frightened students. "I will tell you once we reach your office," and they left. Julian remained where he was, watching them leave and he glanced at the Hufflepuff nearest him. He snarled and went after his aunt.

Draco looked across the Great Hall and Harry who looked at Ron and Hermione, she then looked across at Blaise who returned the look with a shrug and glanced at Pansy and Theo.

"That _was_ your cousin, right?"

"Yes, it was," Draco confirmed, "and that was my mother."

"She hates him."

"He's scared of her."

The four Slytherin sixth years exchanged glances, "I guess we'll ask her tonight."

Draco nodded and returned to his potato stew. "Are we doing something tonight?"

"I'm going to hang around and do nothing," Blaise said, "it's what…Saturday?"

"Friday, we had classes," Pansy corrected and sipped her stew.

"Oh, well, Sunday I'm doing a study group thing with Granger in the library."

They looked at him and nodded, "okay, Saturday is Hogsmeade, right?"

Theo nodded, "I was thinking we could sit around the Hogs Head and drink Fire and Ice," he said.

"Sounds like a day," Draco nodded and sensed Pansy giving him a look.

A Fire and Ice was a glass of Fire Whisky mixed with something called Ice Whisky; they were polar opposites and combined to make a fairly potent drink. Even Draco, with his high tolerance, could only ever drink one in a day (or night).

Draco looked at Pansy, "I know."

"You said you would change, stop drinking and smoking and MC," she hissed accusingly.

"I have," he snapped, "I barely drink at all anymore, I smoke no more than Blaise and I haven't done MC since I got out."

"That's a lie and you know it," she countered.

Draco recoiled a little from her, "what would you know about it?"

"Magical Cocaine is the most potent drug on the planet, you do one snort and you're completely different," she answered, "you're one person now and another at three AM."

Draco stared at her for a second, silent, and focused on his food.

"I've seen you, Draco, staring at the stuff and, gods, I can see how much you need it."

"Shove off Pansy, we'll talk about it in private," he snapped suddenly and left in a flurry of dark robes.

She watched him, silent but understood his anger.

"Looks like someone's pissed off your boyfriend," Ron commented before shoving a large chunk of potato into his mouth.

"It does," Harry agreed and looked at Pansy; he cocked his head to the side as though asking what happened. She shook her head and made a motion that translated into Shag Terrace, later. He nodded and returned to his dinner.

"So?"

"She'll tell me tonight."

Ron nodded, "who's she going out with?"

Harry looked at him oddly and Hermione looked almost offended.

"She's a lesbian, Ron," Harry answered and had some strew.

"She is?" Hermione quirked a brow.

"Yes, she is, dating some girl named Andrea, a Seventh Year," Harry added on.

Ron shrugged, "worth a shot."

"She wouldn't have gone for you anyways," Harry said.

"Why?"

"She likes 'em dark and foreign. She'd have a massive problem with you drooling over her best friend's mother."

Ron grumbled, angry that it was made such a big deal, "you have to admit Mrs. Malfoy is pretty."

Harry nodded, "she is, but you could have some self restraint about it."

"I could be a lot of things," Ron shrugged.

"You could be a classy, "O" student but that'd be a little too much of a reach," Hermione grumbled and left before he could compute her words.

**Chapters! I hope you liked it! If you did then review because I love you and I think you love me too!**

**Update: The hunka hunka man is going to tolo with a wench and her friend. This makes me sad, however, I'm still putting the moves on him soooo tis fine. **

**Bernard and Celia: many babies! People have not been providing carrots recently though :( so they ask for donations and love so their baby plot bunnies may grow and thrive and create depth and dimensions for this fiction.**

**FIRESTORM LOVES YOU!**


	25. The Old Parlor

**:Dumbledore's Office:**

"What happened?"

"I went to the Dark Lord to try and make him scrap the plans for the attack," Narcissa seated herself.

"Did it work?"

"Half and half," she answered vaguely.

"I cannot believe you released Azriel," Julian said as sat down too, "he's insane."

"Azriel?" Dumbledore frowned.

"I cannot believe you went to him, if he attack you, you could have been killed," Snape was seated next to her.

"He did attack her," Julian snapped, more than a little angry he was disregarded that way.

Narcissa looked at her golden eyed nephew and felt pity for him. He bet his life with the darkness and consorted with the most foul creature on Earth. Yet he was thrown aside the instant it was a choice, he gave up three years of his life to be sacrificed unwillingly. It was unfair and she knew Julian well enough to know he would do everything in his power to make sure the Dark Lord regretted his choice.

"He did?"

"A Killing Curse," she nodded, "I am alive though, calm down."

"Who is Azriel?" Dumbledore asked.

"Are you feeling all right?" Snape asked, ignoring the Head Master.

"I was a little light headed after escaping but Azriel's power was more than enough motivation to leave," she answered.

"Can we trust Julian now?"

Narcissa nodded and Julian turned his eyes to the floor, glaring.

Snape nodded, "You can assist me in the dungeons, take over mine or Narcissa's class as she gets farther along."

Julian nodded, "Thank-you. I know I was an arse and endangered you, your child and other child but I'll do anything and everything to regain your trust," he spoke to Narcissa.

She smiled, "You share blood with my son and I consider you of my blood, I will give you trust if you ask for it. You will not tell Draco about this summer?"

"Never," Julian shook his head.

"Who is Azriel?" Dumbledore asked more forcefully, "What happened this summer? Why did you not trust him? And I never agreed to let him stay here."

Narcissa rolled her eyes, "Albus, Julian is staying, as Violet is, as a guest of mine and Severus'. Azriel is of no concern to you, as what happened this summer does not concern you."

**:Sunday Parlor, October 10th:**

"It's nice," Harry nodded as he looked around.

Draco was casting cleaning charms on the dust covered couches. "It's a little frilly," he said and picked up lace and satin doilies from the arm rest of the couch. The wallpaper was a light pink with white and red roses and trimmed in pale green vines. The carpet was white and spotted with flower printed rugs. The couches were similar and all the tables were a pale brown wood with lacey cloths over them.

"We'll fix it," Harry said and prodded a hundred-year-old flower.

Draco cracked his knuckles, "_Continus Vearde,_" he pointed his wand at the walls and the flowery wall paper became a dark green.

"Green?"

Draco nodded, "It could be white but then the blood spatters would be much too obvious."

"Blood what?"

"Spatters," Draco repeated.

"What exactly are you planning to teach these twelve year olds?"

Draco laughed a little and turned to the couches to vanish them. Harry set his things aside and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's waist. "I think red would make any blood even less obvious."

Draco turned around in Harry's arms and put his around the Gryffindor's neck, "I love it when you talk about interior decorating."

Harry had laugh and rested his forehead against Draco's, "Are you okay? You looked really upset during dinner a few nights ago."

"The boy who showed up with my mother is Julian, my cousin. He's the Dark Lord's lover, or he was. Voldemort sacrificed him or something happened that he's on our side now."

"Our side?" Harry smiled, "You're willing to be a goody two-shoes, honorable, Dumbledore following soldier of goodness?"

"I'm honorable and I'd rather be an Auror than a Death Eater. I told you that the entire Slytherin House feels the Dark Lord is a nutter and wants to fight against him. We are not exactly Dumbledore enthusiasts though, as is evidenced by how my mother treats him."

Harry nodded and moved a little so he could kiss Draco, "Neither am I, too be honest."

Draco moved the last inch and kissed him.

**:Outside the Old:**

"Ack!" Ron stamped on the spider and blanched as he raised his foot. "I hate spiders."

"ACK!" Blaise stamped on Ron's foot, "I hate namby-pamby little Gryffindor jerks."

Ron turned scarlet and fell on his butt after raising his foot, "What's your problem Zabini?"

He shot a look at the red-head and took a bite of watermelon, "I know why Hermione broke up with you, Weasel-face, she deserved much better than you."

"Shove off," Ron grumbled, "She wouldn't have broken up with me if you didn't put all those ideas in her head."

Blaise puffed and used his butt to open the door to the Old, "She had those ideas before. I gave her the last push to take action about them."

Ron went in after him and stopped dead to look around.

The floors were peach marble and the walls were mosaics of the founders. The far wall was the school crest with a massive point counter beside each of animal, colored for each house. There was a raised part in front of that wall where the head table would go and a massive blackened circle with a flaming goblet.

Ron gaped at the room, "This place is gorgeous."

Blaise nodded and took another bite, "It is nice."

"Nice?"

"You've never been to the Ancestral Ballroom in the big Malfoy house in Avingon," Blaise said, "It's at least twice this pretty."

Ron's jaw dropped further, "You're all waaaay too rich."

Blaise shrugged, "Thousands of years of accumulating wealth, it tends to end up fairly large."

"Thousands of years?"

"Drake's family was first recorded in eight-twenty-seven B.C." Blaise said, "The Black family was first recorded just ninety years later."

Ron nodded, "Farthest back I know about my family is my great-something grandfather Arg Weasley who married a fire nymph and caused a big huff."

"Argosio Weasley, he married a half-nymph in 1196 and that's what started your family on their social decline."

Ron did a double-take, "How do you know that about my family?"

"It's a talent," Blaise shrugged, "Your family was first in records closer to the time of Christ with a girl who became a rabid werewolf rights activist and turned a lot of people into cats."

"What?"

"It's true." Blaise answered and ate the last of his fruit. "This place will work, right?"

"What?" Ron was shaken, "Yes, it will."

Blaise nodded and summoned an elf to take his bowl away. He was uncomfortable around the Weasley boy, especially since he'd pretty much broken him and Granger up. Blaise went to a wall and leaned against it. "I'll be going pretty soon."

"Why?"

"I have a…thing," Blaise answered.

Ron shrugged, he did not know the snake that well.

Blaise's mother was coming the following day. Desdemona was pissed about something, he had no idea what. She was bringing Malika and probably Gabrielle, just for back-up or to visit Narcissa. Blaise looked across the hall and saw the mosaic shift and move. The presence of students was probably re-sparking their motion. It was fairly common for dormant paintings, statues or photos to stop moving to conserve magic.

"Help me move these tables real quick," Ron pointed at one of the long black painted tables. There were four lined up to create one house table. Blaise pulled out his wand.

He raised it but stopped and lowered it again. "I'm far too tired."

Ron stopped banishing tables to look at the Italian, "We're not exactly friends, but-uh, why are you tired?"

Blaise looked at him and shrugged, "I was up late trying to make Draco translate something from Greek."

"Greek?"

"My future step-father speaks Greek and wrote me, I don't speak it."

"Oh," Ron nodded, "Your mum's getting married again?" Even Ron, normally removed from pureblood society, knew that Desdemona Zabini was a dangerous woman and had killed off at least seven men in order to get their money. It was sort of like her career, seduce, marry, kill and repeat.

Blaise nodded and knew Ron was judging her, "She's coming tomorrow," he added and saw Ron's expression flash fear.

"Why?"

"To hell if I know," Blaise muttered now more angry and exhausted than just tired. He brutally snapped his wand at the nearest table and they soared to the wall.

Ron could feel the tension and anger coming from the other boy. Perhaps it was that Blaise was upset enough not to guard himself but Ron was not usually so good with "sensing" what people were feeling. Had he been he would not be single at the moment.

"Are you going to be all right?" Ron asked awkwardly.

"Yes," Blaise answered and banished the rest of the tables with one wide gesture. He summoned an elf and got a large slice of watermelon cut up and put in a bowl. It was delivered a second later and Blaise sat on his haunches, against a wall, and began to eat.

"Every time I've seen you you're eating that stuff, why?"

Blaise shrugged, "Some people turn to sweets, I turn to watermelon, I can't explain it."

Ron shrugged and took up the wall next to him, "It's good stuff, we grow some every other year at the Burrow."

Blaise nodded and slid onto his butt next to Ron, "Want some?"

Ron nodded and took a piece between his thumb and index finger. "Are you ever…scared of this whole Dark Lord thing?"

Blaise sighed, "Always."

Ron looked sideways at him, "Me too."

Blaise nodded, "It is especially hard to be a side character in this massive play."

Ron nodded back, "You're fighting right there, next to the main character-"

"But you have to fight harder sometimes, just to stay alive-"

"-To keep the main character alive too. To protect everyone-"

"-While the protagonist runs off to fight the climactic last stand or whatever." Blaise put another square of fruit in his mouth and offered more to Ron, "It's a tough life we secondary players have."

Ron agreed and ate some more, "Its hard when you do something notable but no one notices because your best friend, the famous one, ties their own shoe or something and the Prophet is all about them."

Blaise let out a laugh, "Draco just gets our parents attention, and the Dark Lords, and every pureblood in Europe, we are not competing for attention on the same scale as you."

Ron replied, "I don't even want that much attention, I'll I'd ever really want is a 'Harry Potter's friend, Ronald Weasley, assisted in the defense of Hogwarts Castle by killing a couple scum bag Death Eaters.' That's not too much is it? All Hermione and I really got was 'Harry Potter's unnamed accomplices.' Or she was his secret lover in fourth year."

Blaise chuckled, "That must be wretched."

Ron nodded, "I've gotten over it, it's not about glory, it's about doing what is best for the wizarding world."

Blaise raised his brows, "That's almost disturbingly mature of you."

Ron nodded, "I'm a little scared myself."

"Not used to being deep and selfless?"

"Not at all."

They laughed again and it echoed around the room. Ron could hear Blaise's laugh above his own. It was colder, as if, when he was a young child, he never learnt to laugh and now had to force it out of himself whenever something was supposed to be funny. Ron could hear it, that hint of some darker emotion that mixed in with his laughter and it was either scary or saddening, Ron could not decide.

**That's good-yeah?**

**I like it.**

**The rabbits are well fed again and the plot bunnies are doing excellently, thanks for the support.  
Update on your author's life: hunka hunka man is still hunky, I'm still seducing...the musical is coming along well, attractive people with guns and leather-hoo-rah! Pretty much that's my life...except that it's 1030 at night on a Friday and I'm sitting here writing you. But I love you so much it's all worth it.**

**Next week's going to be a wench...I'll update Friday since the chapter is written and everything...I'll just be tired and it'll happen at...later than this.**

**Sorry I didn't update yesteday, combination of the site being dumb and me being dumb too.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	26. The Return of Dreziak Xian

**:Dungeons, the next day:**

"He abandoned you?" Violet looked up from her book.

Julian was staring at the fire, as he had been doing for an hour or so.

"Julian?"

He ignored her and concentrated on the flames.

She looked around quickly for something to throw and found a shoe, belonging to Severus, lying by the foot of her couch. Not thinking twice she tossed it at him and it collided directly with his leg.

"Oi," Julian turned to her and raised his brows, "what was that for?"

"You were being moody and silent," she answered.

"Oh," he shrugged and turned back to the fire.

"You don't still expect me to kill her, do you?"

"Not at all."

Violet nodded and tried very hard to read and comprehend her book but it was not working, "dammit, Julian, talk to me."

He looked up at her and shrugged, "nothing to say."

"You were just sacrificed by your lover, the Dark Lord, in exchange for an attack now doomed to fail. You must feel something," she answered sharply.

Julian shook his head, "not a damn thing."

"J-"

The door opened and Dumbledore entered, "Mr. Malfoy?"

"What?"

"There's an agent from the Ministry who wishes to interview you."

"Interview me?" he rolled his golden eyes _More like interrogate me._

"Yes, please come," Dumbledore led him out of the dungeons, through the warm and buzzing school to his office.

Official Dreziak Xian was seated next to the Head Master's desk with his steel quill posed and waiting for the interview. He looked older than he had just under a month ago, "Mr. Malfoy."

"Drezzy," Julian seated himself. Xian had attended Hogwarts when he and Violet had. Julian was three years younger than those two though and had left school at fifteen to pursue a career in trouble.

"It's Official Xian now, Mr. Malfoy," he answered.

Julian shrugged and shot a look at the quill, "this about the Dark Lord?"

"What else would it be about?"

"You could be hoping to catch up with me, I wouldn't know," he said and looked at the headmaster.

Xian rolled his eyes, "October the eleventh, twelve eighteen in the afternoon. Official Dreziak Xian questioning Master Julian Adonis Malfoy in the office of Head Master Albus Dumbledore in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on the subject of Master Julian Malfoy's involvement with the Dark Lord Voldemort."

Julian shifted in his seat and leaned forward a little, smirking. He had no more connection or care for the Dark Lord nor did he really want to discuss the situation, but oh, it was fun to see people squirm.

"You have spent the past three years in the company of the Dark Lord, correct?"

"I would say that."

"Are you a Death Eater?" Dreziak was cutting to the important information. He was a civil and hard-working young man without bias or hatred of any one particular group of people. He was, however, not font at all of Julian Malfoy, he could not figure out why but something about him was creepy and unsettling and…mind boggling.

"No," he shook his head and revealed his forearm, "I went to the meetings, conveyed messages, trained incomers, lived in the base and assisted in handling prisoners but I never killed anyone, cast an Unforgivable or tortured anyone. I was something of a secretary."

"You have betrayed the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, he threw me aside and I do not take kindly to people who disregard me," Dreziak saw anger flare in his golden eyes and they became liquid gold, spinning and ready to burn someone.

"Are you willing to help the Ministry capture Death Eaters?"

"I am."

"Are you willing to tell us everything you know about the Dark Lord?"

"There are some things I know about him that you wouldn't want to know." He smirked as Xian blanched, "but everything I know that is useful is open to you."

Xian nodded, "did you do anything else for the Dark Lord?"

Julian knew it was an official question; they wanted to know how twisted this creature was. "I was his consort."

He nodded again, "what were the last orders the Dark Lord gave you to do?"

"Order Lucius Malfoy to kill his wife."

Xian looked startled, "did you do so?"

"Yes," he nodded back, "but then I went to the dungeons and told a prisoner, Violet Genevieve Parkinson, to come to Hogwarts and do it instead. Lucius could never kill Narcissa, for she does not let him so close. Violet has since been relieved of her mission for it was I who was supposed to watch her progress. Now that I am disconnected from the Dark Lord, there is no reason for her to try and kill Lady Malfoy."

Xian frowned, "why is he so focused on killing Lady Malfoy?"

"She refuses to follow the Dark Lord and now refuses to give her child to his services."

Dreziak now understood, "of course." He picked up his quill, "I'll take this to the Ministry, it will be reviewed and it is likely you will be interviewed again."

"Oh goody, I do so love the attention of you official types," he rolled his golden eyes.

Dreziak looked at the old man and then turned to Julian, "how have you been since you left?"

Julian was caught a little off-guard. He knew Dreziak did not like him, they fought in school and until Julian skipped out in Dreziak's Seventh Year they were arch nemeses.

"Surviving, I was nearly disinherited but then my parents forgave me. I was only really living free for a year before the Dark Lord came calling."

"He came to you?"

Julian nodded, "I was sixteen, a pureblood, fallen from grace and living in St. Petersburg working as a barkeep and male prostitute. I wasn't exactly hard to convince."

Xian nodded, "no offense, but he could have any young man or woman in the wizarding world, why you?"

Julian pondered for a moment, "I'm a Malfoy, he thought it would help keep Lucius and his family loyal."

"It didn't work, did it?"

"No. Lucius would have stayed loyal of the Dark Lord did an Irish River Dance on his dead father's skull while wearing a shirt reading 'Malfoys love Muggle borns.' I wasn't his motivation. Narcissa and Draco would not have joined the following for anything, much less their prostitute relative."

Xian winced every time Julian called himself a prostitute. It was very weird to hear him speak so poorly of himself or admit to such a…distasteful profession.

"What are you going to do now? You were fifteen when you left this place, not much experience or certification in that."

Julian shrugged, "most likely I'll take over Snape's job when he retires to raise his kid."

"You teach potions?"

"No, but I can cook pretty bloody well, same thing, right?"

Xian thought, "I suppose it is; measuring, stirring, adding, heating, that sort of thing."

Julian nodded, "How about you? What do you do when not interrogating teens?"

Dreziak smirked, "I analyze interviews, try to find clues or hints or summarize confessions or think up new questions to ask suspects."

"You're a document analyst?'

He nodded.

"I thought you would want to be one of those creepy Department of Explosives guys who runs in, sets a bomb and runs out, exciting and fiery and that."

He smiled, genuinely, "I used to be a little more…adventurous, in school. I would rather read all day than risk my ass trying to fight off Death Eaters."

Julian chuckled, "they're bloody nutters."

He agreed, "it's not that bad, you could probably become an intern or get a clerk job pretty easily."

"I could be the Minister of Magic, our government is completely skewed that way."

Xian nodded, "I expect so."

Julian was being almost eerily civil. Dreziak remembered their Hogwarts days and would not have guessed he would end up like this.

**:Hogwarts, Five Years Ago (Harry Potter and Co's First Year):**

"Welcome!" Dumbledore grinned around the hall. "Welcome to a new yaer at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few rods. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!"

"Bloody nutter," Julian Malfoy sneered and looked up at Dumbledore.

"Shut up about the Head Master," Violet snapped at the younger boy.

"You shut up and bugger off," he answered.

Violet glared but remained silent.

Dreziak Xian was a Ravenclaw and sitting with his back to the Slytherin table near where Julian was placed with his back to the Raven house.

"Excited for classes?" Xian asked his friend.

"Yes," she answered and looked at the Hufflepuff table, "especially for Cedric."

He was a fourth year and turning into a good looking boy. He was a year under Xian and his friends and a year ahead of Julian, the Slytherin Seeker.

He laughed but then heard Julian, "I heard her talking about how much she likes that horrible little Badger-boy…Cedric Didgery?"

Violet raised her eyes heavenward, "Diggory, and of course she likes him."

"He's a god-awful bastard and should kick off."

Dreziak was about to turn to confront the blonde when he caught Violet's gaze and stopped. He returned to his food and remained silent. Until they were in the hall,

"Cedric Diggory is my friend, Malfoy, and you should stop talking so much shite about people you don't know." Dreziak cornered him.

Julian sneered, "Or what? You'll call your Bello-Russian father on me? You'll bore me to death?"

Dreziak tensed and leaned in closer to the golden eyed boy, "Someday, Malfoy, you'll get what's coming to you."

He turned and began to walk away.

Julian walked away, surrounded by his year mates who began talking about hexes to put on the Raven Claw.

**:Two Years Later:**

"Shut up, Draco. I've heard more about Harry bloody Potter than I ever cared to," Julian snapped suddenly and began throwing things into his trunk.

Draco glared at him and left the fifth year's rooms, leaving his cousin to pack.

Julian stopped what he was doing, seated himself and looked at his trunk for a moment.

"What the fuck am I doing?" he asked himself in the silence.

He took his wand, money and a few essentials in his school bag before setting his trunk and bed on fire. Julian ran from the room and Common Room and then down the hall towards the doors to the school.

It was nearly midnight and he was not a prefect or head.

That meant he was in trouble when he saw Raven Claw prefect Dreziak coming towards him.

"Bollocks," he muttered and stopped where he was, already seen.

"What are you doing out at this time of night?"

"Nothing," he went to leave.

"Answer me," Xian grabbed his wrist. He saw Julian was not wearing his usual expensive slacks, shirts or shoes. He was in black jeans and a long sleeved shirt with a heavy coat over it and boots. "Where are you going?"

"Away!" He screamed. Something cracked and he was panicked and angry, enraged even. "Away from this prison and that coot and you and every-bloody-one, I'm leaving and I don't care and I can't stand it and if you touch me one more time I'll kill you, I'll bloody kill you."

Dreziak let go of him and backed away, wide eyed with his hands in the air.

Julian breathed heavily and disappeared into the night just as Snape went by with a burnt rag, heading towards the Head Master's office.

**:Present:**

"Where did you go? St. Petersburg you said?"

"I ran into the Forest and illegally apparated myself to Moscow and traveled by muggle means across the country to St. Petersburg."

"The school went crazy after you left, you know that?"

"I didn't keep in touch," he answered coldly. "Is it all right if I smoke?"

Dumbledore snapped back to present, "I would prefer you-"

Julian had already taken a cigarette from his boot and lit it, he offered it to Dreziak, who took a drag and returned it. "Why not?" he asked.

"I had no reason, none of them were close enough to really care what happened to the other Malfoy. I didn't care enough about any of them." Julian answered.

Dreziak nodded and accepted another drag from the cigarette, "it was insane. There was the whole Sirius Black escapee thing going on but that wasn't the half of it. Slytherin was in shambles, you don't know it but you had to be some sort of rallying point for them, some joint. When you disappeared they had to re-centre and it was a little like Armageddon."

Julian raised his brows, "how so?"

"Everyone wanted to be the new centre of the house, to be the joint, the piece that you were. I can't imagine how it ended so peacefully but they centered on Draco Malfoy."

Julian nodded, "I expected as much. In Slytherin," he took a very long drag, "the person with the most prestigious heritage is the central figure, the unofficial Head. It should have shifted when Draco first came but I was around and, of course, before me there was Azriel."

Dreziak nodded solemnly and accepted the cigarette, "he was frightening."

"Azriel attended this school?" Dumbledore whipped around to look at them.

Julian nodded, "for his last year."

Dumbledore thought hard about who he could have been but no one stood out, he had no idea who they were talking about.

"In any case," Xian said, "it was really interesting. Anyone else wouldn't have been able to tell, but since my little brother was one of you I heard all about the fights and crap that happened every night."

Julian gave a nod, "that's purebloods for you."

Dreziak checked his watch, "god, it's nearly supper, I should go."

"Stay here, Drezzy," he said the name the way he had when they were younger, either mockingly or affectionately, it was always unclear. "There's always extra food."

Xian sighed, "all right."

Dumbledore seemed about to protest but the two were gone. In the Great Hall the Head table was extended again to fit the new guests. Violet, Julian and Dreziak were seated at the end with Snape and Narcissa and Cuida smiling at Locke. McGonaggle smiled and spoke with Xian for a few minutes before dinner started as the students were filing in.

"The Ministry, hm?"

He nodded, "it's all right, lots of work, mostly reading and just a little excitement."

She gave a small laugh, "I remember the years when you hosted the Raven Claw parties, always some sort of explosion or fiasco."

He chuckled, "I couldn't help it."

She returned to her seat next to the Head Master as the food reappeared. Violet and Dreziak began a long conversation while Julian concerned himself with making a potato and gravy volcano.

Draco was seated at the head of the Slytherin table, farthest from the teachers and he was watching his cousin suspiciously. Theodore flinched as someone shouted and a dropped a plate, causing a bang. He was on edge and understandably so. Desdemona, his mother and Pansy's were arriving in a matter of minutes. A follower of the Dark Lord was eating in the same room as him and they did not trust that the bond between Julian and Voldemort was broken. Theo glared at his food and stabbed a steamed carrot.

Blaise was looking ill as well. He was drinking hot tea, eating a massive bowl of watermelon and nothing else. He was giving Pansy a bit of a panicky look. She was worried about Blaise and more worried about Theodore.

Julian, at the Head table, growled and stood up. He bloody hated sitting with the stuffy old professors and the loopy Head Master. He walked to the Slytherin table and seated himself next to Pansy. "Evening," he said and drank some pumpkin juice.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked.

"The professors are all horribly boring and it feels oh, so awkward to be with the people who had to deal with me as a youth. Besides, Theo looks ready to snap and Blaise looks ready to sick all over the table."

Theo flinched ever so slightly at his name, "I don't want you near me."

Julian nodded, "I can see that. But I don't really want you near me either; see, if you had remained in the service of the Dark Lord, he would never had come for me and I would still be a happy free-bird in Russia."

"You were sixteen when he came after you. When he came after me, I was eleven and you can't have expected me to care about what happened to anyone else. I was nearly handed over to a man living in the back of my Dark Arts Professor's head. He was at least sort of something when he called on you, he wasn't half so appealing when he wanted me."

Julian looked at the Nott boy. He had dark hair and reddish brown eyes and he was fairly good looking but unremarkable. He was not a Malfoy. He was a decent kid with a good, level head and strong loyalties to his friends and at least part of his family. He was too sympathetic and caring and would have made a terrible Death Eater. After a few months he would have been discarded, as Julian was.

"He never was appealing," Julian hissed back, "you think he showed up, said some pretty words and whisked me back to England? No. He burned the tavern I worked at to the ground, killed six people and kidnapped me. If I didn't stay with him the entire fiasco would have been my fault and I would have been a felon, not so happy free-bird."

Theodore looked around them, "I don't want to talk about our experiences with the Dark Lord, not here."

Julian shrugged, "you started it."

Theo held back a retort and focused on his food. There was a scent to Julian, death and evil magic and the Dark Lord had that same scent. It crawled into his stomach and curled up and made him queasy and uncomfortable and panicky.

Julian suddenly straightened up and looked at the Head Table. No one else could have possibly noticed it but those who knew him extremely well; Snape's dark mark was burning.

Julian sensed it, he hated that he could but he did. Julian looked at the man and they exchanged a short conversation. Julian turned to Draco and his friends, who had seen and understood, and he stood and left as the Potions Master did. Draco looked at his mother and she nodded. Draco and his friends left the room.

Dreziak was utterly confused but Violet told him not to worry, it was one of those nights.

**:Outside the Castle:**

"Be careful," Julian stopped the older man, "Azriel is free, if you're called to that place he'll be prowling. He'll kill everyone."

Snape nodded and pulled his hood on, "Thank-you Julian."

"Wait," Julian stopped him, "tell Azriel, if you see him, tell him I'm here."

Snape nodded again and rushed from the school grounds, leaving Julian on the top stair with his back to the doors.

"What's happening?" Draco exited the castle to see his cousin.

"Meeting," he answered and re-entered the castle.

Draco could still see his godfather moving across the grounds and he dearly hoped it was not the last time. Narcissa appeared behind them, "Desdemona and the girls have arrived, Julian, you should find yourself a quiet place to be away from them. Draco, come support your friends."

The two boys nodded and parted ways, Draco followed his mother to a sitting room in the dungeons while Julian went to Shag Terrace to smoke.

* * *

**26- done and doner.**

**Oh man, I have not been home for the past 24 hours...that's pretty much why I didn't update Friday or Thursday or yesterday. Sorry dudes. I hope this beastly chapter makes up for it.**

**The musical went really well, super good, actually. Uhm, school's still stupid...Denny's has great omelettes...**

**Answers to questions:  
Someone asked who Atticus is: no one really.  
Will Blaise and Ron get together: (this is the most popular question) :hee hee: WELLL! We'll seeeeeeezle. Maybe, maybe not. There's an answer somewhere...you just have to find it. I'm a tricky devil, aren't I?  
How did I get so rad: Well, it started when I was a sperm and an egg, they combined, learnt the tango and I became a fetus (with some other smaller stages in there) 16 years later I'm this kid. LOVE**

**FireStorm loves you, and you and you...and you too...I guess.**


	27. The Mothers

**WARNING: **

**In Chapters soon to come there are drugs present references to drug usage.**

**:Dungeons:**

"Blaise," Desdemona held her son, "I heard Julian Malfoy is here, is that true?"

Blaise nodded and Malika clutched at Theodore. "Has he spoken to you?"

"Yes," Theo answered, "He sat with us for part of dinner. Tried to talk about…him."

Malika looked furious, "Are you all right?"

"As fine as I could be."

"This is out of control," Desdemona said and stood to pace, "Julian is a-"

"Dear," Narcissa took a seat, "My nephew was not your reason for visiting."

She stopped and nodded, "Blaise, Bustreo, since he had no children, would like you to be the Herè at the wedding." (A Herè was the man of honor while a Hera was the maid of honor).

Blaise nodded, "Of course mother, I would be honored."

She gave him a look, "You're angry, aren't you?"

He shook his head, "Never."

"Don't lie to me."

Blaise stared at a spot on the floor, "Why do you do this? We have enough money. We're happy and comfortable and we don't need this. Every time you get married I'm left thinking 'what if she gets caught this time?' What would I do? Your risking our lives, our future for a few million. Is it worth it? It's not good or decent or honorable, it's sneaky and disgusting and evil and I hate it.

"You know I love you, with all my heart, but what you do, it's despicable and I'll never know why you do it."

Desdemona had no answer for a long few moments. In that time everyone left the room.

"When I was young," she began, "My father…" she trailed off and looked away from her son. She was sitting stiffly, posed almost as though preparing to spread her wings and fly away from it all. "You will understand someday but words fail me at the moment." She looked at the fire and Blaise felt something shift, an emotion. Desdemona erected her shields and was cut off from her child.

"Mum, I-"

"You will be the Herè, won't you?"

"Yes, but-" she stopped him again.

"Someday," she told him. "I heard you broke up with that Raven Claw boy."

Blaise puffed up his cheeks but nodded none the less, "He was sleeping with some Badger girl."

Desdemona tsked and drew her wand, "I brought something for you to take a little revenge with." She conjured a vial full of black liquid that seemed to have threads of silver running through it.

"What is it?"

"Put it in his pumpkin juice some morning, not all of it, just a few drops, and he'll regret ever hurting a Zabini."

"What will it do, mum?"

She smirked, back to her old self, "You will see, my dear."

Blaise took the vial and nodded, "How are plans for the Yule Festival coming?"

Desdemona was asked to plan the Festival that year since Narcissa was pregnant and at Hogwarts. She was having it held in Morocco, on a large parcel of land she inherited from her fifth husband. She had had a grand, domed manor built there. It had little use except for massive festivals like this.

"Fine enough, most everyone has verified their attendance. Will you be bringing a guest?" she asked.

Blaise thought it over, "Could I bring Hermione Granger?"

"As your date?" she looked a little shocked.

"Of course not," he laughed, "Girls are gross. She'd come as my friend."

Desdemona smiled, "That would be fine with me. I expect Draco will bring Mr. Potter?"

Blaise nodded.

"Pansy have a girl?"

"She has one but they're not that serious."

Desdemona nodded, "Theo?"

"He doesn't have anyone right now."

"I see," she smiled at her son. They moved on to talk about classes and manner of other things.

**:Astronomy Tower, 11.18 PM:**

"Why are we meeting here?" Harry asked as he entered the cold tower top from the trap door from the stair case.

"Julian is prowling the Terrace," Draco answered and left the balcony edge.

Harry nodded knowingly and accepted the blonde into his arms. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and nuzzled the taller boy's neck, looking for warmth.

"How are you?"

"I'll be fine," Draco smiled into Harry's neck, feeling the vibrations from when he spoke. Harry smiled too, Draco's warm breath on his neck was sending sparks to every nerve in his body. Draco opened his mouth and found a spot by Harry's jaw and ear and licked it. Harry gasped as the tongue slid down his neck and began to kiss his pulse.

"You're going to leave a mark," Harry warned after regaining himself.

Draco bit lightly and kissed it, "I was planning on it," he smirked and lifted his head and stood on tip toe to reach the Gryffindor's lips.

It was warm, all around them it was cold, but in their embrace and in their kiss it was warm. Harry closed his eyes and bent his head so the blonde could stand flat-footed. Harry pushed a little more and moved his hands to the blonde's hips and ran his tongue over Draco's bottom lip. Draco smirked into the kiss and let him in. The blonde lost his gloves and brought his hands to run through the black hair that often intrigued him.

Harry felt the hands in his hair and smiled to himself at the feeling that sent more electric pulses through him. In June, had someone told him he'd be standing around making out with Draco he'd have turned them into a flobber worm. It was not strange. It was not awkward. It was not gross or creepy or anything but nice. It was warm and it fit, just right, in the biting cold, to be warm in the arms of the Ice Prince.

They parted for breath and Draco laid his head against Harry's chest and stared into the distance beyond the castle.

"Are you ever…scared," he asked, "About this whole Dark Lord business?"

"Always," Harry nodded and rested his cheek on top of Draco's head and looked out that way too. "You?"

"Same," Draco sighed. "I know my mother can beat him, flat out, but now that she's having a child she can't use that much raw magic. It'd kill Chael. She'll need us to help her and, god, everyone will need help."

Harry nodded, "If he still attacks we have to have a plan."

Draco nodded too, "We'll strategize tomorrow," and he grinned evilly. "Right now I want a snog."

Harry grinned back and kissed him.

**:Gryffindor Common Room, October the 15:**

Hermione laughed and offered a snack to the Italian sitting across from her. He had appeared from within the suite of armor and bounced drinking some dark liquid and began talking with the prefect on the couch.

"How did you know about that secret entrance?" she asked.

"Most suits of armor in this place are linked with one another, you have to know where you're going but we marked out where things generally go and now we've got it down. Snuck here from the Charms Corridor," he said proudly. "It was a lucky guess that your suit had the passage connected up to it, we've never come this way except to get into Raven Claw."

"There's no mention of that in _Hogwarts, A History_," Hermione said.

Blaise shrugged, "They leave a lot out. Bet you didn't know Draco's family owns this place," she shook her head and he explained that to her. "I bet that thing does talk about the dungeons much either."

She shook her head.

"They smell like cider in the winter, know why?"

"I honestly have no idea," she smiled and remembered they did smell that way sometimes.

"Professor Snape always has a cauldron of it brewing in the Common Room for us," Blaise raised his mug.

"Seriously?" she gaped at him and took the drink. She sipped it and confirmed it was cider. "I thought you were drinking something illegal," she laughed.

He laughed too, "Only on Fridays, m'dear." She smiled but disapproved silently. "Have you spoken to Viktor?" he asked.

"He said he's trying to focus on Quidditch," she said with disappointment.

"Oh," Blaise tsked and seemed to think it over. "Got a date for the big Storm Ball we have coming up?"

She shook her head, "Not even remotely. You?"

Blaise shrugged, "No. I know someone you may like a lot, actually."

"Who?" She raised her brows.

"Theo," he answered and drank some more cider.

"Theodore Nott?" she gave him an odd look.

"I grew up with Theo, he's a nice guy. He likes reading and researching and I think you two would get along fine. He's not very good with girls, fairly inverted, but he'd come out his shell for a pretty thing like you."

Hermione blushed, "I don't know…he and I don't really…"

Blaise pouted and she smiled, unable to hold her own, "Okay."

Blaise grinned, "I'll tell him he has a date."

**:Breakfast the Next Morning:**

Draco sat down next to Pansy and he could barely contain a smile. She assumed to know why but did not ask it aloud. She noticed Blaise grinning suspiciously at Theo. Theo was watching his friend warily and trying to keep from stabbing him the leg with the fork. Theo had a habit of such things.

"Merlin," she muttered and focused on her food.

Her sister was sitting at the Head Table doing the same thing. She looked angry and defensive and that worried Pansy. Violet was a smart girl and a Slytherin girl which brought a whole multitude of other qualities that should have allowed her to work out a situation for herself. Pansy knew her sister had not been attacked from the Huntshire College of Magic. Pansy's sister had been held by the Dark Lord for treason. She was used and abused and thrown into a cell at the end of the day. Violet's anger seemed boundless but she restrained it, barely. Every time Julian entered the room she tensed and almost snarled and killed him but something would change and her look would shift to pity. Pansy had no idea what it was, nor did she really want to. Merlin help that man that ended up at the other end of her wand when she went off.

Pansy herself was not so instinctual. She was fifteen when her sister was abducted from their home over the summer. It was horrifying but her father did not fight them. Pansy knew her place, even then. They broke in through the main doors while the family ate dinner. Mr. Parkinson stayed seated and silent and her mother only cried a little. Pansy herself set up a wall and did not watch as they dragged her sister away. Violet was prettier, smarter and stronger than her sister so she was taken. Pansy was a risk, she was friends with _that _boy, the one's whose mother would shred anyone for touching her son or his friends. Perhaps Pansy was lucky in that, perhaps not. She did not know.

She did know that she was the girl of the group. It was her duty, her place even, to listen and understand and support the boys. Her blood magic made her that way. The only shadow of the family's Snow heritage was in her. Her mother did not have it, nor her father nor sister. Only Pansy could do it; say a few words, offer a nonjudgmental ear and get even the most cloistered person, Theo for instance, to express himself more deeply than before. She thought it a talent for a while and used it to learn gossip, secrets, tricks, and passages. She changed, when she found the noble beginnings of it. She respected it more and used it that way.

Pansy looked across the hall to assess the moods of her teachers and fellow students for the day. She could not sense their magic, as Blaise could, but she was damn good at reading people.

Snape was exhausted and pissed; Narcissa was just as angry and plotting some new way to scare the Dark Lord. Violet was concerned, confused and uncomfortable in the new environment. Julian was angry as well but he was more spiteful than plain angry. Dumbledore was disapproving of the snake group but he was not obvious about it. It was the sideways glances and slight curling of the upper lip or furrowing of his brows that gave him away. Locke was feeling pensive and probably considering proposing to Cuida. She was bright and feeling refreshed and well prepared for the day. Lucia turned her eyes to her boyfriend and smiled at him. Locke smiled back and held her hand. McGonagall shot them a look but smiled a little. Pansy could see how worn she was from the power struggle between Narcissa and Albus. Sooner or later the old frump would realize Narcissa was not to be toyed with and he would stop opposing her.

Pansy knew that Narcissa's patience with the Head Master was wearing thin and it was showing. Whenever he glanced towards the Slytherin adults, she would stiffen a little and shoot him a glare. He would look away then.

"Is something troubling you my love?" Blaise asked her. He could sense her; she was contemplating and digesting information.

She looked at him and realized she was probably excreting troubled emotions. She smiled at her friend, "I'm just thinking is all."

He raised his brows and nodded, "Sure. Reading people again?"

She nodded and smiled, "Mum Malfoy is going to put a heel through Dumbledore's eye soon if he doesn't let her do what she wants."

Blaise receded into his own mind for a second and focused on the older woman in dark blue. He sensed her anger and frustration with the old man. He pulled away from her and shallowly searched the Head Master; he was more than annoyed with that group. He was also tired of Narcissa and a little scared of her. Blaise pulled himself from the magical layers and nodded.

"That's just about right," he confirmed.

**WARNING: **

**In Chapters soon to come there are drugs present and references to drug usage.**

**Holy Jesus. There are more than 800 reviews for this story. Overwhelming support, you are all amazing. It's just...it's so great to be able to update and know people actually read it and are vested in the characters and what they do.**

**I love this story...so much that my other fics have fallen dead, sort of and I'm sorry for that. I have a big long break this upcoming week so hopefully I'll be inspired. **

**Update on my life: Hunka Hunka Man came over last night...I made dinner (Spagetti with homemade meatballs). He really liked it and we hung out in my room for a while and talked about a lot of things...This sounds creepy and wierd buuut after he left I tried to go to sleep but my whole room smelt like him and it made me insanely happy. This inspires me to write slashy scenes so this is good for all of you.  
Classes are going pretty well, I nitrogen bombed a quiz on Friday...I was fried. I had three tests (Spanish, AP European History and English Grammar Exam) and then a quiz...and I went like this "Fuck it."  
Uhm...what else is happening...I'm going to Berline/Munich to visit my sister. That's happening in March, I'll remind you all sooner to the date so you're not stressed about no update during that time.  
Hopefully I can go to Dublin oooor Cancun with my friends who are graduating. We thought it would be uber fun.**

That is pretty much my life,

**LOVE  
FireStorm00X**


	28. The Snow Manor

**:Snow Family Manor (Formerly "Unknown Location"):**

The Dark Lord sat on his throne, surrounded by four Death Eaters, but he was still glancing around the large hall nervously. He expected Azriel to materialize of nothing and kill him, spot on.

The old, vine covered manor house was full of Death Eaters patrolling and taking up plans and artifacts important to the cause. Voldemort was no fool; he would never dare to mess with Azriel. As Julian, there were only a few people that truly scared the Dark Lord Voldemort: Narcissa, Dumbledore on the odd Thursday he was feeling angry and energetic, Julian when he was truly angry and that beast now loose in the manor.

Azriel had all the makings of the most attractive, influential and important young man in England. He was wicked smart, had a deadly wit, he was handy with magic and his family was wealthy and respected. Half of it at least. The other half was…sub human. It was darker and animalistic, feral even, and that heritage ruled him. Azriel had no wish to be a functioning member of the Ministry or to influence the general Wizarding populas. His animal half had a mate once, a dearly beloved, but they were killed. He was a shell, he looked mostly human but his mind was devolved into an animalistic, instinctual predator.

However, he was still a powerful wizard. His magic was no longer controlled by mental blocks and common sense and knowledge. It was rawer and far more dangerous. It corroded other types of magic around him and that made him twice as dangerous.

"How much longer?" the Dark Lord asked.

"A few moments, My Lord," the Death Eater replied, "we're just finishing gathering the last few maps from the strategy room."

"Good," the Dark Lord nodded.

Severus entered the hall from the back room.

"My Lord, you should leave immediately," he warned, "Should Azriel encounter you he'll not refrain from killing you."

Voldemort made a noise in the back of his throat but then they heard a scream from down the corridor. It slid under the door and raced across the floor into their ears and rang in the heartless chest of the Dark Lord.

The Death Eaters quaked and listened as the scream died and a body fell. Voldemort stood and drew his wand as did every follower there.

The doors exploded open and a swirl of blackened smoke and dust rushed in. It settled after a moment and Azriel was left.

He turned his ice colored eyes to the Dark Lord but they were no longer a haunting white blue. They were scarlet and on fire. A horrible sensation washed over the occupants of the room, dread formed deep within them and they froze to their places, mesmerized by him. Voldemort regained his senses fastest and aparated from the room. He arrived at a long abandoned house in Latvia, in the kitchen and he ran quickly to the basement.

It took only a moment before two of the other Death Eaters appeared, "My Lord, he killed Jance and Kollick before they could leave. We turned on the alarm, the others should arrive soon."

Voldemort nodded swiftly and snapped his fingers, signaling Pettigrew to come. The rattish man scuttled from a dark corner of the basement and ran to his master.

"Contact every bounty hunter in Europe. Tell them a hundred thousand galleons will go to anyone who can bring me the head of Azriel."

Pettigrew twitched at the name and nodded obediently, "yes, My Lord."

**:Snow Family Manor (AGAIN):**

Severus had his wand drawn on the younger man. "Azriel, calm down."

The white haired boy stood from his crouching position over the bloody bodies. Jance and Kollick were heaps of bloody bones covered in black cloaks. The stench reached his nostrils and the blonde snorted it out. "Why are you here Severus?"

"I am here to maintain my cover as a Death Eater," he explained, "And to tell you that Julian is at Hogwarts."

Azriel growled. The whore was nearly engrained in the manor and it drew anger from deep within the youth. Azriel was only a year older than the Malfoy brat. He was no better educated or larger built, a few inches taller perhaps but otherwise they may have been related. They had the same colorings, save the eyes, and similar builds.

He hated Julian.

Sensing his magic, as if the whore was right in front of him, it was sickening.

"Is Narcissa with him?"

"Yes."

"And this child of hers, Chael, he is there too?"

"In theory, he is still young in the womb," Severus answered.

Azriel nodded, "You are the father?"

Snape nodded and Azriel looked at him. His eyes were a disturbing mix of blood and ice. The scarlet was broken by strips of cold blue and Snape broke eye contact.

"You should leave, I need to take care of my family home," he said and Snape apparated immediately.

Azriel observed the Festival Hall; it was where they held balls, parties or reunions. He took his first steps on these stones. He spoke his first words before a crowd of twenty seated at a banquet table in the centre of this room. He had his first dance with a girl across this marble dance floor. He saw his father die on those steps leading to that throne; where his brother seated himself after killing his father.

Azriel took in a deep breath of air and cast his eyes to the walls, stripped of their paintings and tapestries and then he looked to the marble floor. It was charred with misaimed spells and dusted with blood, both new and old. He had not seen this place in almost three years but it had the same feeling as always.

"My gods," he breathed.

The house was dull and silent. Years ago most of the furnishings and art were sold or destroyed to make way for the Death Eater occupancy. Azriel kicked up a loose stone along the wall and removed his wand from the hidden chamber. It also held a journal and a vial of silver liquid that looked like unicorn blood. He replaced the stone without upsetting the other objects.

He raised his wand and enacted the warming charm on the floors of the castle. Azriel felt the whole castle warm and at that moment, the sun chose to creep from its cloud cover and squint at the shoddy old manor house.

The air was thick with death and lost souls fading into nothing. The feeling was distressing, some forgotten wizard trying to reach into his magic and find a way home or away. Half conscious, panicked and in pain the dead were trapped and no proper burial to help them.

In the wizarding world a burial was required, part of the ceremony was having a powerful wizard or witch offer a channel through which the magic, the human essence could return to the magical core of the world. It was something like being a one-way portal to the core.

Narcissa had performed a few hundred of these ceremonies. Azriel wanted to help the dead trapped in his Festival Hall but it was not his place. He shook his hair and felt his dark side rising.

**:Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Following Morning:**

Narcissa stood silent, leaning out the tower window and watching the grounds change color as the sun rose. Somewhere below her the castle was shifting from its nighttime persona, a castle of mischief and adventure and rule-breaking, to its daytime counterpart. The castle in the day was quiet, old and dusty but with an air of restlessness, hidden in the stone walls.

Narcissa felt the sun rise on the walls and it brought a biting cold wind with it. Her senses were sharp but on the inside she felt dull. There was something amiss. In the Snow Manor she felt the presence of death, of those killed. It was a deeply disturbing feeling. They tried to get through her, use her, return to the core. She had no idea where it came from, where the core was or how it found her. The dead knew and they wanted to get back. It chilled her even as the sun began to warm things.

"It's nearly freezing out there, you should come in."

"I suppose," she admitted and left her window.

The tower room was warm and colored by black and green. There was an unmade bed against the far wall and a trio of couches around a blazing fire. Narcissa closed the window and drew the gauzy white curtain back across it.

"Are you feeling all right? It's rare that you spend a night away from Severus."

She nodded and went to her wardrobe. "I am weary."

"Should you speak to the medi-witch?"

"No," she answered, "It is simply the dead weighing me down."

"The ones from the Dark Lord's headquarters?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I truly wish it were my place to kill him, then he could wander in agony over the earth."

"I wish so too. Then I would not be stuck with the responsibility."

Narcissa smiled at the youth near her, "A long time ago, you were chosen to be his downfall, before you were born even." She remembered again her curse, "I do hope you come out of all this all right."

He shrugged, "I'll be fine," he blushed then, "And I'll probably have Draco with me, he'll be a good help."

Narcissa felt proud of him then, "I expect he'll be there for you. As much of a snake as my son is, he's damnably loyal."

He chuckled, "I bet he is."

**:Dungeons 8.23 AM:**

"You what-a?"

"Got you a date to the big Ball thing on the thirteenth of December," Blaise repeated and buried himself deeper in the cozy leather couch.

"Who?"

"Hermione Granger."

He wrinkled his nose and got a shove with Blaise's toe, "She's a nice girl, real smart and she's just right for you. Give her a chance, Drake's dating a Lion, you can too."

Theo sighed, "He and I are not in a condition to be dating anyone."

Blaise made a questioning noise.

Theo looked around the empty common room and pulled out a bag of white powder touched by dark green crystals.

Blaise shrank away from it, "What are you doing with that shite in the castle? Mum Malfoy finds that you're both smoothie."

Theo shuddered, "Don't I know it. It's Draco's and…I haven't used since August."

"Good, but, what's he doing with it?"

"Pansy brought me down last night…to see what he does…gods," Theo shook his head sadly, "He just sits here and looks at it and shakes his head and…

**:Two o'five that Morning:**

Pansy slid into the boy's dorm and into the Sixth Year room. First bed on the right, to the left was Crabbe. She shook the thin figure awake and silenced him quickly. Blaise rolled over, made a noise, and snuggled back into his bed. The figure sat up silently, eyes on the Italian, then he turned them to the girl.

"What's going on?" he whispered hoarsely.

Pansy smelt his breath, flinched but did not mention it, "I need your help," she answered.

"Why?"

"Come with me," she led him up to the common room, through the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and into the shadows that had settled on most of the dark, circular room.

The fire was dull but cast a glow on the room. One couch was occupied by one person. The table in front of him had a glittering pile white dust and dark green crystals. His hair was glowing in the orange and gold light of the fire and his eyes were turned gold by it. The dust was untainted by the light, it glowed of its own, venomous quality.

Theo's eyes widened as he saw the powder.

MC. Faery Dust. Moon Light. Crash. Venom. Green. Wisp.

The drug had many names but they all meant one thing; magical cocaine.

Theo shook his head, praying Draco wouldn't make himself a line, that he wouldn't use any.

Draco shook his head too. But as his head was turned away his eyes were pried open by some invisible force and he turned his head to stare at the drug again. This repeated several times until Draco stood and put it into the bag again. He hid it beneath a stone in the floor and then disappeared into the shadows.

"He's still using?" Theo whispered to Pansy.

She shrugged, "He has some, the temptation and that's all that matters."

Theo inhaled deeply.

It was as if there were particles of the drug hidden in the air and they reached him and triggered that part of his brain that he'd covered and hidden under a hundred layers of control. He felt his hand twitch and he looked at Pansy.

She seemed to sense it. She used to use it too. She quit though, a clean and easy break from it. Theo rid himself of the feeling and led her back to bed.

"Are you going to tell Blaise?" he asked.

She shook her head in the negative, "You should. I'm trying to work out how to tell Potter still."

"Let Draco tell him," Theo stopped her.

"He knows something is going on, either Draco tells him soon, or I do."

Theo sighed, "Let Draco, it's his place. If you want them to work out then let this be their first big step. It'll help solidify them."

She nodded, "Are you over it?"

Theo shrugged, "I hope so."

**:Dungeons, 8.25 AM:**

"Merlin," Blaise shook his head.

"I know," Theo stared at the bag and then looked at the fire.

Blaise saw his eyes move, "No."

"Why?"

"Draco should. It'll be part of his…recovery period."

Theo nodded back and hid the bag again. "I wish it wasn't there, I can't even walk near there without thinking of it, right under foot, and it's like some haunting beast. It calls to you and when you're so wrapped up in it, in love with it, it turns and kills you.

"Addictive Venom." Blaise sighed and stared at the corner of the coffee table. "I wish he didn't use it. I hate it."

"I do too," Theo stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Shower?"

"Breakfast's in twenty, I wouldn't have time." He smiled.

"All right, I'll see you there."

Blaise nodded. His good mood from a few moments ago was gone. Theo was backsliding, the very presence of the drug was gripping him and his self control was ebbing. Blaise looked around the lightening darkness of the common room. As more people awoke the torches burnt brighter and the fire warmer.

A face appeared over the back of the couch and Draco planted a kiss on his best friend's cheek. "Never expected you to be awake so early," he smirked and came around the couch.

Blaise nodded, "I was tapped."

Draco's eyes widened, "By who?"

Blaise shrugged, "I'm not sure. I was asleep when…I could feel it, in my dreams, something tightened-in my chest- and, and this other presence, some force, slid in and led my dreams. First, the landscape around the castle, then to the front doors, down the halls in a sketchy, blurred way. As if I was starting and stopping while going incredibly fast. I reached the Head Master's door and said the password. Inside, I-I went into the back and found him, where he was asleep. I killed him. Draco, whoever was leading me, using me, has a plan."

The liability with Blaise's gift, entering and reading magical signatures, was that he contained small parts of those signatures in himself. Every time he reached into the layers of magic and left again, he took a small piece with him. Like dipping your hand in the ocean, you don't take back the whole ocean, but you do take some. This made Blaise very easy for wizards to 'tap.' It was mind reading but a forcing of knowledge and actions. His dreams were controlled, they were not some else's, only controlled by someone else. It was frightening and it had only happened to him a few times.

"Sounds like the Dark Lord," Draco warned and Blaise nodded.

"Felt like him."

* * *

**I like that chapter, you get to meet Azriel. He'll be important later, let me tell you that right now. This story is really important to me, it's taken most of my focus (fanfic wise) and I'm glad everyone likes it. The last few chapters haven't been getting as much support as earlier ones, I think (I hope) it's just because things have been a little uneventful but I hope this one sparks people's interest again.**

**Reviewers have been so sweet and I encourage you all to be sweet to me too! Bernard and Celia are doing swell. They're happy and well-fed and I'm happy and well-fed and sore like a none-other. It's Winterim this week (a wierd suedo-holiday my school does) and I was assigned to do On-Campus Maintenence. It's pretty difficult, and cold! I'm well though, I've been writing aLOT for _Rapid Expansion_ and that makes me happy. I'll update that one momentarily. **

**I hope no one is tooooo disappointed with this chapter.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	29. The Tea Run

**:Malfoy Mansion, Berlin:**

"Hello?" Lucius looked up from his book. It was an old, worn out book, one he'd read many times in his life. He waited for a few seconds before a dark haired man came around the corner.

"Lucius, good morning," he smirked and seated himself near the other man.

"Good morning brother," he smirked back.

Octavio snapped his bone-like fingers and ordered himself some tea. Octavio was Lucius' brother-in-law, married to Iliana, Lucius' twin sister. Octavio was a tall man, taller than Lucius, and broader but much bonier. He was Greek, dark hair and skin but his eyes were the same gold that he passed on to his son.

"I heard you are having another child," Octavio commented as he sipped his drink.

Lucius shut his book and set it aside, "This is true. Camille is pregnant with a daughter."

Octavio nodded, "She is a strange creature, this Camille."

Lucius agreed, "Odd, but beautiful and obviously fertile. This is the point of her."

"Of course," Octavio looked around the sitting room, "Where is she, still abed?"

"No," Lucius shook his head, "She went into the city with her cousin and they are shopping for toys for the babe."

Octavio raised his black brows, "The child needs nothing that you cannot provide her."

Lucius nodded, "This I know, she does not. I believe she will come back with more purchases for herself than the child. So it is, she is twenty five, still young."

His brother-in-law agreed and pressed the pads of his fingertips together, "Your child is not what I came to discuss."

Lucius understood, he had known this since the other man arrived.

"It is mine," Octavio said and inhaled deeply. "He has defected."

Lucius nodded solemnly, "The Dark Lord offered up his life."

Octavio shook his head, "I still cannot believe it. Narcissa saved my son, _my son _and yet she hates him. You are ordered to kill your wife, I know you shall not, I am ordered to kill my son, I know I will not, Narcissa's head has been priced and every bounty hunter in Europe will be filling Hogsmeade within a fortnight. Narcissa will not give them Julian, Violet will not help them for she has abandoned as well. Azriel is loose and killing off any Death Eater who comes even near the old headquarters. He will soon join against us along with Julian, who knows more about the Dark Lord and his inner workings than any other being alive, as well as Violet and Narcissa. Your child, his friends, all of the Slytherin House in Hogwarts now, they are all siding with the Light."

Lucius felt a weight on his shoulders.

His instincts told him to abandon the Dark. His beliefs remained basically the same; he disliked muggles, muggle-borns and did not want them to live in the Wizarding world. He was willing to kill to make it happen too. However, this Dark side was being outweighed and overpowered. Victory was almost impossible, unless a major power was added to the Death Eater's side, Lucius knew he would have to defect soon.

He exhaled slowly, "Will you follow to the end?"

Octavio shook his head, "I am no fool. I believe in the cause but this is not the war to win it."

Lucius nodded, "It had so much potential in the beginning."

Lucius felt, then, like a very old man reminiscing about his youth or a great event in his youth. He remembered being seventeen or eighteen and feeling the cause, the fight and the thrill. He remembered hunting muggles and killing them and how the wizarding world quaked in fear. The Ministry had no idea what to do.

Azriel was too young. Julian was too. Narcissa did not care enough. Potter was not even born, neither was Draco nor any of his friends. Dumbledore was a menace but he was one wizard.

It used to be good fun, no real threats, no real danger. Good, clean murder.

"I should return to my wife," Octavio stood but kept his eyes on the fire. "Where is Severus?"

"With Narcissa," Lucius waved off the idea. He loathed the idea but it was her right and his, a subculture of purebloods that he could not stop.

Severus was his friend, they grew up together and killed together. They saw much of the world and shared a dorm for seven years. Lucius trusted him more than most other wizards but knowing Severus and Narcissa were having a child. It caused a jealous snake to coil around him. Lucius snarled at it. Narcissa was a prize, his prize.

Lucius remembered the first day her met her…

**:AboutThirty Years Ago, September 1st:**

There was a light wind that day, nothing too strong but noticeable, mostly because it smelt like the forest. Lucius turned to the forest and watched the shadows shift as if they were alive. The Dark Forest was very old, every tree at least four times his age. Lucius leaned father out the window to watch the trees fly by as the train sped across the country. He was in his Second year and sitting with his friend Severus, a first-year. They knew each other through their fathers and spent a deal of their youth with one another.

"Come back in before you get your head knocked off," Callum smirked. Callum was a second-year as well, dark skinned and angry looking but rather sociable.

Lucius drew his head back in and seated himself, he grinned mischievously, "Want to go terrorize the Gryffindor first-years?"

"Yeah," Callum made to stand just as the door opened.

Lucius recognized two of the girls. One was his year, Bellatrix, the other a year older, Andromeda. They were sisters.

With them stood a girl and though she was young, most likely a first-year, she was already very pretty. She had ivory skin and hair to match but her eyes were a jarring turquoise, colored by greens and blues that moved beneath the surface.

"Bella, what's happening?" Callum asked.

Lucius could not move his eyes from the girl.

"Our sister, Narcissa, needs somewhere to sit while Andromeda and I sit with the other Slytherins. Can she sit here with Snape?"

"Yes," Callum nodded.

Lucius nodded mutely and watched her slip in, like running water, and sit silently next to the dark boy.

Lucius followed them away in a trance.

Eight weeks later he had convinced his father to arrange a marriage between them.

**:Hogwarts Castle, Slytherin Dungeons, 20 October :**

"Your hair is in my tea," Blaise nudged the girl on his lap.

Pansy grumbled something and rolled over and buried her face in his stomach.

"Not feeling well?"

She sat up a little, "It is Wednesday, Blaise, why would I feel well?"

He grinned at her, "No idea. I heard you know something about Cole." The grin disappeared.

She sat up fully and stared at him, "He and the Hufflepuff, Jaklyn, are going to the Storm Ball together."

Blaise nodded, "I'll just have to find someone to go with as well."

"Didn't you convince Ms. Granger to go with Theo?"

"Yes, I did," Blaise sounded quite proud of himself, "They'll work out quite nicely if I have anything to say about it."

Pansy nudged him, "What's your plan?"

"First off," Blaise turned towards her, "There's a fad of pairing people up. Draco and Harry…I suppose…are the entire fad…but! I'm still going to run with it. Theo and Hermione are perfectly complimentary, I'm betting on it working."

"You never bet unless it is a sure thing," Pansy drew back a little.

"It is."

Pansy grinned mischievously, "What about you?"

He shrugged, "I'll drag someone along with me."

Pansy looked around the common room, "Anyone in particular?"

Blaise just raised an eyebrow and sipped his tea.

"Tell me!"

"I say nothing," he answered and stood, "I need to finish an essay right now."

"What?" Pansy whirled around to watch him leave, "You haven't finished an essay since Third Year."

Blaise shrugged and opened the passage to the Boy's Dorms, "See you at dinner, honey."

"Don't you do that to me Blaise Ridex Zabini, you get back here right now."

He waved over his shoulder and was swallowed up by the black shadows. Pansy sprang up and over the back of the couch and reached the passage just as it shut.

She snarled and ran to the other side of the Common Room and into the passage leading to the Girl's Dorms. She raced past three First Years carrying a lot of books and into the bathrooms.

In Slytherin they all shared a showering facility. There were separate toilets but the showers were on either side of a long room with magically warmed benches in the centre. The shower stalls were large enough for two or three at a time but there were enough that almost everyone could have one to themselves. They weren't just porcelin tile and a plastic curtain either. These showers had mosaic floors, swinging glass doors and silver fixtures.

Pansy blew past all that and out through the boy's toilet facilities into the large circular room the boys all shared. There were nine doors, one for each year, one from the Common Room and one to return to the toilets. Pansy made straight for the one marked by a large, silver six.

She pounded on the door until Blaise emerged, "I wondered when you would arrive," he smirked at her.

"Who is it?"

"I-"

The door from the Common Room swung open and Draco appeared with Harry. They were holding hands and looking incredibly well snogged.

"Hello there," Draco grinned at them.

Blaise rolled his eyes and moved from the doorway to let the two past. Harry gave them a shy grin as Draco slammed the door and locked it from the inside.

"No use hiding now," Blaise muttered and sipped his tea.

"Who?" She turned on him.

"Who what?"

"Who do you want to take to the Storm Ball?"

"Oh," Blaise smiled at her, "I haven't quite decided yet."

"Who are you thinking about?"

"No one," he answered, seemingly honestly.

"That is a lie," she snapped and backed him up against a wall, "Who is it?"

"No one," Blaise slipped from in front of her and began to walk back out.

"Blaise," she threatened.

"FINE!" he turned back around and grumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I'm not telling," Blaise reaffirmed himself and made a mad dash through the door.

Pansy chased after him, up the dank, shallow slope of the stair case and through the bustling Common Room as people prepared to leave for dinner. They ran into the halls and flew past Snape's door where he stood holding Narcissa, resting his chin on top of her head. They ran into the Great Hall where Blaise leapt onto the table and sprang over the candelabras dotting the centre of the banquet table.

Some of the Gryffindors had already sat down for dinner and watched the two snakes oddly. Blaise landed perfectly and spun around, like a dancer, and began sprinting back down the other side. Pansy had gone up one side to avoid being on top of the table.

She mad a furious noise and drew her wand.

A gasp rose as she aimed at the graceful Italian. "_Petrificus Totalis,_" the spell rocketed out at him.

Blaise heard it and did a magnificent leap and spin, avoiding the spell. The hall gasped again, in awe now. Blaise landed perfectly, stopped moving at turned to her.

"Don't shoot spells at me," he said in a huff and sipped his tea. He'd been carrying the mug the entire time and not spilt any. "Ew, it's cold."

Pansy but her hands on her wide hips and motioned violently towards one of the chairs. Blaise gave up and sat down.

Across the hall Ron was still sitting agape at them. Blaise was an incredible runner and watching him was like watching a dancer or a figure skater (not that Ron knew what they were).

"Ron?" Ginny poked him with a fork, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he nodded and focused on the wood of the table.

"Where's Harry?"

"He and Malfoy are….talking," Ron answered. He smirked at the thought.

**And in the next chapter we get to hear some of their "Talking" if you know what I mean. I love you all, your cats, your mothers, your support and your mouse for being able to click the "review" button. Hey, what an idea.**

**Oh, you're all wonderful!**

**NOTE: I've moved the fic from Romance/Humor to Romance/Drama because it is not _that_ humorous anymore or not so humorous as to be in the subcatagory. I've been considering doing so for awhile and then I got a few reviews that pointed it out so I decided it was time. I don't think it will be a great problem to anyone...if it is...you have wierd value systems for why you read certain fictions...**

**Update on your author: I went to improv practice today for a few hours and it was majorly fun. Then my friend and I went to see TransAmerica at a theatre in the downtown area. It's a good movie, I liked it but I can tell why it is rated R. I would suggest it if you don't mind language, drug use and peni...oh wait, if you cared you would NOT have read this fiction. Ha, that's funny to me. I'm fine though, I hate school, it makes my brain do this: aivoaknpsoihwioqwurhsk...blajs.**

**That is all.**

**Bernard and Celia give you their best and love you all.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	30. The Room of Requirement

**:6th Year Boy's Dorms, Slytherin House:**

"You smell different," Harry commented.

"What do you mean?"

"Usually you smell like vanilla and rain or like the night and cigarettes," Harry clarified and inhaled again, "Right now…you smell like a cinnamon roll."

Draco laughed and nuzzled Harry's chest and inhaled deeply, "You smell like sugar and coffee."

Harry laughed back, "I'm an addict," he admitted and leaned his head down to kiss the top of the blonde's head.

Draco yawned.

They were on his bed. A King sized bed with posts carved into massive snakes with jeweled eyes and a gauzy black cloth serving as curtains. The comforter was a thick forest green, goose-feather thing that was more warm and comfortable than anything Harry owned. There were nine pillows and a stuffed dog nicknamed Bruiser and Harry's jacket all lain across the head of the bed. The two boys were somewhere in the middle, Harry on his back, spread across half the bed with Draco curled around his right side.

"I may start sleeping right here," Harry comment with a yawn.

Draco laughed a little, "Can't say I would mind."

Harry turned scarlet as he realized how Draco interpreted his comment.

"I-uh-I mean it-it's I-mean," he caught the silver eyes.

Draco gave a smile, "You're cute when you get flustered.

Draco shifted and touched his lips to Harry's. He responded immediately by shifting further down so they did not have to reach so much. Draco's hands found their way to Harry's head and held him close as they exchanged short kisses intermixed with longer, breathless snogs.

Tongues met and slid over one another in a long, electric kiss. It awoke something in Harry that made him grip the blonde tighter, a protectiveness that he felt not only for Draco but the same one he felt for Hermione, Ron, Ginny for all of his dear friends and loved ones. It was in that instant that Harry realized how highly he valued this boy…this snake.

Draco pulled from the kiss and kissed the tip of Harry's nose. "You seem distracted." Harry stared at the ceiling, a deep sense of guilt forming where his heart ought to have been. It was almost painful to deceive him this way. Would Narcissa hate him for telling? It could destroy his relationship with Draco and Draco's relationship with his mother. It could send him into a relapse with MC or make him turn back into the conceited prat that ruled Hogwarts for the past six years.

"Draco-I," he tried to start but a rush of cold air hit them and he stopped.

"Get to the Great Hall, NOW!" Blaise threw open the door and the two leapt up and ran after him.

The halls were full of students running towards the Great Hall. Teachers were flying around pushing children and looking around desperately for the intruder.

"What's going on?" Harry yelled over the din as he parted ways with Draco without so much as a good-bye. He reached Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Neville and they clutched at him.

"There's an intruder, Harry," Hermione said, her eyes were wide and her hair was frizzing out like mad. She looked panicked and unsure of what to do, "Harry, the gate to the school…it's been absolutely destroyed."

Harry's face drained of color and emotion, _Is Voldemort jumping the gun on his attack? Is it happening now?_ He felt his pocket for his wand and mentally ran through his training.

Dumbledore came in last and pulled the doors closed and locked them. He turned to the students and sighed heavily.

"Please, please calm down, sit at your house tables," he waved his wand at the tables appeared but no one sat down.

Dumbledore walked through the crowd to the head table, "I'm sure we will be safe in here. We are only taking necessary precautions. There is only one intruder and we will be more than able to defend the student body if he or she decides to attack. Please remain calm, there will be tea provided momentarily."

A few first years began to sit down but the older students weren't so willing to let their guard down. Draco was standing, with his arms crossed, at the end of Slytherin table. Pansy, Blaise, Theo, Goyle, Crabbe, and Nettle were all standing near him watching the door.

Harry kept glancing between the door and his boyfriend, worry mounting as the minutes passed. A boom echoed into the Hall and the younger years screamed. Dumbledore stood and ordered everyone to the back of the Hall. He and the teachers created a line in front of them.

The doors to the hall shuddered under some tremendous force. Once, twice, three times.

Harry took a step closer every time. He reached the teachers and drew his wand as he stood beside Narcissa.

It stopped suddenly and there was a terrible silence.

A black smoke began to slip in through the tiny space between and beneath the doors. It swirled up and tendrils twined around one another in the same way tendrils of fire would.

Harry's wand arm stiffened and the curse was on the tip of his tongue. Next to him Narcissa had lowered her wand and was watching the smoke with wide, astonished eyes.

The smoke stopped and that which was already in the hall began to move away from the door, curling into the air, not rising up or fading away. It stopped and began to shift and create a figure. A human figure.

It came into view slowly, the shoulders branched out into arms and then tendrils of smoke curled into fingers. Legs and a neck sprouted and began to grow darker, less smokey and more like a solid figure.

Harry felt himself relax, mostly in awe.

It fully formed a human, a very solid looking figure with hair and a wand in the left hand.

Dumbledore was still on guard, as were most professors but Harry, Narcissa, Snape, Julian and Violet had dropped their wands.

The thin layer of black smoke lifted up and disappeared, peeling away from the figure.

Beneath was an exquisite being. He could have been a Veela; white skin, white hair, a perfect build and the face of Adonis. His eyes were almost white but touched by the palest blue Harry had ever seen.

"Azriel."

The man turned to Narcissa and cocked his head to the side.

"Severus told me you were here," he said. His voice was a hoarse, hissing noise, exquisite and musical but frightening at the same time.

"You are Azriel?" Dumbledore lowered his wand.

"Lord Azriel," he snarled and the hoarseness faded, "To you."

Dumbledore tensed.

"Why are you here?" Narcissa asked calmly.

"I have come to-"

"Why have you broken into the school?" Dumbledore asked loudly. His wand twitched in his hand, as if he was over-eager to curse the blonde man before him.

Azriel raised his upper lip in a snarl, sharp white teeth appeared and he growled from deep in his throat.

"Albus," Snape moved to his side, "Calm down. You must be careful around Azriel."

Dumbledore concentrated on the figure of the man before him.

"Why are you here?"

Narcissa raised her ocean colored eyes towards the sky and turned to look at the Head Master, "I've asked him that, Albus."

Azriel raised a hand to stop her and then his eyes fell to her growing stomach, "Chael?"

She nodded, "He is due in February."

"The eighth?" Azriel raised his brows at her and smiled a little.

"I'm sure it is a possibility," she returned his smile.

He walked forward and touched her stomach. "He will be a good son."

She nodded, "He is my son and I have not had a bad one yet."

Azriel actually laughed at that.

Julian winced where he stood a few feet away, this caught his attention.

"Julian," he turned to him and he regressed a little. The animal within him showed its face; his stance altered a little and his eyes grew darker, shifting into a darker blue.

"Azriel," he answered and the two looked at each other for quite awhile.

Narcissa turned over her shoulder to her son and gave him a tiny motion to join them. Draco walked up and took up a place between his mother and his boyfriend though neither boy acknowledged each other.

"Azriel," Narcissa interrupted them, "Perhaps you and Julian should settle your differences some other time. This is neither the time nor the place."

Azriel broke eye contact with the Malfoy and turned to the older woman, "But of course," his words came out covered in disgust, "It would not be proper to massacre a whore in front of pimple-faced adolescents."

Narcissa just nodded and led him from the room, "We will discuss this in my chambers."

Dumbledore moved to tag along but she shot him a look over her shoulder, "Take care of your students Head Master."

Snape, Julian, Violet, Draco and Harry went after Narcissa and Azriel. Dumbledore puffed out his cheeks but then dismissed the school.

Blaise and Pansy and Theo went over to the group of Gryffindors in the chaos of people scrambling to find their friends.

"Should we go up there too?" Hermione asked as she saw them approach.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Mum Malfoy's right protective of information about the Keeper and the Snow family."

"What do they have to do with this?" Ron asked.

Pansy bit her bottom lip, "That wasn't just another Malfoy cousin."

Hermione's eye brows shot upward, "The Snow family died out with the seven daughters of Snow, hundreds of years ago."

"Voldemort Snow had seven daughters, yes, but he also had a son," Blaise said and glanced at Theo, "He died about ten years ago, he had two sons, the elder of which murdered him. Arden Snow killed his father-"

"Wait," Hermione had been straining to hear, "Let's go to the Room of Requirement."

The three Slytherins, Ron, Hermione and even Ginny all found the room and entered quickly.

"What were you saying?"

"Voldemort Snow had a son as well. His line…well, they were so paranoid about loosing purity or dying out that they began to marry and have children with nymphs. It didn't appear to be changing them very much, an odd flare of abilities there, a kid made of ice here, nothing too out of the ordinary." Blaise explained.

"But that's because they bred with Ice Nymphs, keeping away from mixing with Wood or Water or Fire or any other sort really." Pansy interjected.

"The trouble really started when, a few generations back, they married a Fire." Blaise rubbed his hands together, "I don't really understand it, Theo?"

"Fire Nymphs are known for their rather feral tendencies, their society is structured on their abilities to out fight each other and win. They're closer to animals than humans, and on top of that they can manipulate fire and commonly have the ability to become fire. They're an ancient species, evolved in Mount Vesuvius and they spread across the world through a series of massive eruptions some thirty thousand years ago."

Hermione nodded along but Ron and Ginny were a little slower in letting him continue.

"The Ice Nymphs are similar in that they are just as ancient and base their society on who is stronger. They are not as animalistic about it, often using other methods but it usually still favors the strong and the vicious." Theo inhaled deeply, "The combination of those two breeds, well they're more like individual species, caused a regress in that child. Azriel's grandfather was the first of what are now being called the Night Snows. They can seem perfectly reasonable, fit in with society and maintain a stable mind set but they have this other heritage. The dueling Fire and Ice, the combination of dark, animalistic genes created a sort of split personality. First his grandfather, then his father, then himself and his brother, Azriel is the fourth and quite possibly the final Night Snow. Then the entire line would die out. The Snow family would be extinct."

"Why is he the final one?"

"Lord Azriel Chael Snow saw his brother, Arden kill their father. It was a power play. Arden favored being a diplomat, a human, to giving into his other side. The only time he gave in, to the 'Night' side was when he killed his father. Azriel saw it happen, he was there and it messed him up pretty badly."

Blaise nodded, "Fucked him up, it did. He went to a colony of Fire Nymphs in a…Merlin…Asia was it?" Theo shot him a look, annoyed at being interrupted, "Anyways, he spent a year there before coming back here, spending about a half year in Hogwarts and then he killed Arden."

"He killed his brother?" Hermione gaped.

"Yes."

Theo shot Blaise another look, "Not intentionally. It was originally just a challenge, as another wolf would challenge for the position as Alpha wolf. Azriel challenged his brother and in the fight, Arden was killed. It's not uncommon in fights like that. Azriel then-"

"Went bloody insane."

Theo growled and smacked Blaise's upper arm, "Let me finish before you chime in with psychological tidbits. Azriel did sort of loose it after that. He almost completely regressed into a Fire Nymph, animalistic, violent, deadly and he even went so far as to close up the family manor and leave it to collect dust while he ruled the forests as…as an inhuman."

"He seemed normal enough in the Great Hall."

"About a half year back Voldemort caught him and put him in a cell. There were charms that kept him from being so wild, he was forced to remain in that human mind set. He had to think, constantly, about what he had done to his brother and what he had become and what his family was."

"He also had to live with what happened to his mate."

"Mate?" Ron frowned.

"Not a soul-mate or anything so romantic. While he was in…wherever with the Nymph colony he fought for and won a female. A mate."

"Except it is romantic because they'd fallen in love before the fights and he nearly got himself killed to win her," Blaise chimed in. Pansy smiled, watching Theo grow more and more impatient with the Italian.

"Yes, well, it doesn't matter, Voldemort killed her as soon as he found her. He was trying to break Azriel, force him to support the Dark Side. Azriel, though, knew how hard it was to live in a society that hated you for a heritage you could not control, he refused. A few days ago Mum Malfoy let him out and he reclaimed the Snow Manor. He's here most likely to stake a claim in the war and offer his care and protection of Chael. It's a tradition for the Snow family to offer such for the children of Malfoy, their closest relatives."

"But Chael doesn't have any Malfoy blood in him," Hermione corrected.

"Doesn't matter, Narcissa is the Keeper of Magic, it's as much in that as it is in the Malfoy name."

"Oh," Hermione nodded. "So he's here just to offer to protect Chael?"

"He's probably also here to decorate the Great Hall with Julian's intestines." Blaise said.

"They're not fond of each other," Theo added, "Well, at least Azriel hates Julian. He thinks of Julian as a whore and that he's degraded himself in return for being a secretary for the Dark Lord."

"He's also pissed because they used to be fairly good friends, back before Arden and before Julian started going here and blah, blah." Blaise shrugged.

"What?" Hermione and Theo both looked at him at the same moment with similar expressions.

Blaise just raised his brows, "And you say they're not alike," he said to Pansy and she stifled a giggle.

Theo blushed and stood, "I'm going to the library to try and dig up some more information."

"Good idea," Hermione stood and followed him.

"I'll keep an eye on them," Pansy kissed Blaise on the cheek and bid them good-bye.

"I should go too, bye Ronald," Ginny waved to her brother and followed the raven-haired Slytherin girl out the door.

"They're going to be so cute," Blaise smiled.

"Who?"

"Hermione and Theo."

"Oh," Ron frowned, "How'd that happen?"

"I set them up to go to the Storm Ball on the thirteenth of December."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"I was thinking of asking her."

"Seriously? She wouldn't say yes if you offered her a rare book as well," Blaise rolled his eyes, "Look, Ron, you two are broken up and I doubt she's open to reconciling the whole thing."

Ron pouted, "But she-"

"She's moved on, you should too."

"There's no one out there," Ron shot back, "The Patil twins wouldn't go to a dance with me, not after Fourth Year, Lavender is probably in on that. No Slytherin girl would go with me, Ravenclaw girls are all with someone and even the other Hufflepuff girls have boyfriends."

"For Merlin's sake Ron, just look around you and stop acting like she randomly up and left you alone. You brought that break-up on yourself."

"If you hadn't encouraged her we could have worked it out."

"Not in a millennia. You didn't respect her and she did not want to be treated like yesterday's garbage. I like Hermione, she's my friend and she did not deserve that. You thought of her as your friend, you only dated her so no one else could. It was never about how much you liked her, just about your stupid Gryffindor pride. She's smart, she knew it and she finally got the courage to tell you to go fuck yourself."

Ron turned red, "Now she barely speaks to me though, even if we couldn't work it out we could have broken it off more amicably than a fight in the Great Hall. You destroyed not only our relationship but our friendship as well Zabini, you great git."

Blaise snarled, "If you had balls you'd make the first move towards becoming her friend again. You would apologize for being so terrible and then continue to apologize until you have to apologize for apologizing so much."

"What, lay down and beg for forgiveness?"

"Yes, she deserves it after how you treated her."

"Why don't you date her then if you want so much for her."

"That's ridiculous," Blaise laughed, "First off she and Theo are much better and second I'm as gay as a men's ice dancing competition in San Francisco."

"What is ice dancing?"

"Never mind," Blaise knew it was stupid to reference muggle culture, "The point is, unless she turns out to be a man there's no hope and she's not my type."

Ron rolled his eyes, "What is your type? Cheaters?" He knew it was a low blow but he was not thinking about the Slytherin's feelings.

Blaise went dead silent, his jaw clenched. "I can see why your friends all found better things to occupy their time. Who would want to be friends with you?"

He then turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him before Ron could reply.

* * *

**Tension! I like this chapter a lot and I hope you liked it too. I really like Azriel and writing Slashy goodness is always fun. Blaise and Ron are coming along quite nicely, I love building that relationship. Hopefully it was not TOOO boring for you kids. I'm brining in the tension with the secret of the training so hopefully that's peaking interest as well.**

**Be warned, I've caught up with myself and I'm not writing as fast as I once was so it may be a little mroe than just a week before the next update. I will try desperatly to update before I leave, even if it is short. There's another note- the 23 of March to the 2 of April I'm in Munich/Bavaria in Germany and thus will NOT be updating. Sorry, I'll send my love though. **

**That's that mostly...HP4 is out, hoorah! I own it, I'm excited. I also own chocolate milk so there'sa party at the FireStorm Manor. WEE!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	31. The Eyes

**:Narcissa's Quarters:**

"Azriel, sit," Narcissa motioned for him to take the other black leather armchair. The couches were moved away and armchairs from her small library were moved in.

He seated himself and shot a glare at the Head Master. "Narcissa," he began, "I am not here to cause trouble-"

"Why did you destroy the gate to the castle then?" Dumbledore asked.

Azriel turned to him, "I have always hated that thing, it's downright degrading, hideous and not to mention it was in my way."

Dumbledore moved to make a comment but a sharp look from Narcissa stopped him.

"Azriel, is this about Chael?"

"Why else would I come?"

She nodded, "Julian, stay. Violet; you, Draco and Harry may go."

The three quickly bowed out and closed the door firmly behind them.

Violet shook her head, "Dumbledore keeps acting like that and he'll have a new hole to shit out of when he leaves."

Draco nodded his agreement, "Maybe two if mum and Azriel go after him."

"_Lord_ Azriel may just kill him quickly."

"Can't say I would mind," Draco smirked.

Harry began to move away from the door, "While you two are occupied in witty conversation, they may actually be ripping that new hole right now."

Draco and Violet turned and listened to the screaming match within.

"Who do you think you are? Albus, you manipulative old fool, do not, even for a second, think you have more power or influence than anyone else. You are the Head of a school owned and controlled by Malfoys and at this moment you are angering one. Sit down and stop interrupting."

"Lady Malfoy, you will not speak to me as if I am a child."

"I will speak to you any way I please, Albus, sit down and shut up."

"Your mother just owned Dumbledore," Harry looked at Draco with eyebrows raised.

"She does that," Draco shrugged, "Come along then."

"Where are we going?" Harry followed him down the hall towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Exploring."

"Where?"

Draco shushed him and ducked behind a tapestry of a man swimming with Gryndilow. Harry followed him, a narrow staircase led into a dark room.

"Welcome to the Prefect's Study Room and Lounge, thing," he smiled. The fire exploded and warmth filled the sandy room.

"Ah," Harry smiled, "Pansy brought me here after I rescued her from the Death Eater."

"I remember that," Draco smirked, "You told me about that," he slid up against Harry, "And then we kissed on a staircase."

"We did," Harry admitted.

"Oaf," Draco mumbled and stood on tip toe to kiss his boyfriend.

Harry smiled into the kiss and wound his hands around Draco's hips. He leaned down, into the kiss and closed his eyes.

Draco disappeared from view but appeared again in Harry's mind's eye. It was Draco on the terrace of a devastated castle, ancient and withering in the elements. He stood in the darkness, silent and his incredible grey eyes were full of such sorrow. Harry saw a figure, Azriel, standing nearby, glowing like some unholy fire and touched by gold in the cold moonlight.

The vision faded and a pair of snake-like eyes replaced it, glowing red in the darkness. "Give me the Keeper," the words snaked into his mind Harry felt his scar explode with pain. He snapped away from Draco and pushed him back.

Draco took hold of Harry's wrist and pulled him close.

Azriel and Narcissa had left the others far behind, mentions of ancient rites and dark magic and the lack of opportunities to question had left them confused and silent where they sat.

"But Dara'nkota believed a Verka could save the heir," Azriel said but Narcissa shook her head.

"He meant only if the heir was infected with nox magi, not if the heir was threatened by a greater, outside force."

"You're being ridiculous, a Verka can save the heir from anything. That's what a Verka is, a protector, not just a sponge for infection."

"Fuck this," Julian muttered, "Look, I know this is important but I was lost back at Chael's destiny being predetermined by whatever. All I want to know is a) Azriel, are you planning on killing me? B) will Chael be okay? And C) do we have a plan for the attack?"

Azriel looked at the other blonde, "We'll talk about A later. Chael is now under the protection of the scion of the Snow Family; if he is harmed in any way there will be blood shed. Voldemort knows the consequences of attacking. I will remain here until after the Seventh Snow and hopefully there will not be any trouble."

Dumbledore immediately stood, "I cannot allow you to stay within the castle."

"Why not?"

"If what I've heard is true, you're dangerous and I have seen no proof that I can trust you not to harm faculty and students."

Julian, from where he sat on the sill of the window, raised his brows and turned from the Head Master. Worst idea ever.

"What?"

Snape had a very worried look on his face. Dumbledore was a good man, brave, smart and valiant in his attempts to help wizarding society. However he was very, very stupid when it came to the laws of purebloods. He knew, of course, the basic sort of things but this, this extreme class of ancient, incredible beings, they were a very different sort of pureblood from, say, the Weasleys. Rule One when dealing with Snows and Malfoys; never EVER insult them or insinuate you are superior. Rule Two: never EVER argue.

"You're dangerous," he repeated, "I don't think you should stay here."

Narcissa reached out and touched the core, immediately a white glow touched her skin. Azriel stood, slowly and languidly, from his place. He appeared perfectly in control but a trained eye caught the flash of fire in his eyes. The ice began to melt and was replaced by that bloody red.

"I do not think you understand how things really work, Head Master and perhaps that is because you have never dealt with a Snow but now you have and let me tell you something Albus; never _ever _insult me."

Dumbledore shook his head, "I do not care if you are Merlin himself, I will not endanger my students. If you cannot control yourself I will not let you stay here."

Azriel snarled, "See if I care. I'll stay here whether you like it or not."

"I refuse to allow you to stay."

"This is going nowhere good," Snape intervened. "Albus, back down, Azriel will help keep the Dark Lord at bay."

Dumbledore refused again, "No, I do not want my students endangered by a-"

"A what?"

"An animal like you," the Head Master snapped but immediately regretted it.

"A WHAT?" Azriel snarled furiously. He crouched down and tensed his muscles, waiting for an excuse to rip the jugular from the old cod.

"A-A-ah," the Head Master took a few steps away, drawing his wand at the same time.

Narcissa reached out then and touched them both with raw magic. They fell to the ground, unconscious. "Worst idea ever." She chastised Albus.

"Azriel warned him too," Julian sighed.

"Nicely timed," Snape commented. "Why don't we separate them out and leave it be. Albus will adapt and Azriel will still wish him dead."

"That won't solve anything," Julian said.

"Unfortunately," Narcissa sighed.

**:Slytherin Common Room:**

"Fucker," Blaise snarled and flicked a crumpled scrap of parchment off the table and into the fire.

"What?" Theo asked from his couch, engrossed in a book.

"Ron."

Theo looked up and then turned to Blaise. "Ron Weasley?" he looked very concerned.

"Aye," Blaise muttered and leaned his head on his fist.

"What'd he do?"

"Nothing easily explained," Blaise answered and tore off a little more parchment, crumpled it and flicked it into the fire.

"Talk to him about it."

"No way in hell," Blaise snapped, "He's a bastard and I'll be damned if I go to him."

"Stubborn brat," Theo shook his head and leaned back to continue on with his book.

"Shove off," Blaise stood, grabbed his heavy coat and left the common room, patting a pocket to make sure his cigarettes were safely within.

It only took him a few moments of walking to find Shag Terrace. He slid out and stopped upon seeing a figure standing in the new night.

"Who're you?" he asked, pulling out a light and touching his wand to it, igniting the end.

"What?" the figure spun around. "Oh, sorry."

Ron stood on the stone floor, old cigarette ends littered the ground and a trio of beer bottles lay side by side against the far wall.

Blaise was silent, he inhaled, paused and exhaled. Neither broke eye contact.

"Look," Ron spoke first in the growing silence. "I'm sorry, that was…so rude and horrible and…you didn't deserve it. You're a nice guy Blaise, I…I just feel really bad about that. I was being thoughtless and, and…really stupid. I'm sorry."

Blaise stared hard into his eyes, the blue was honest and unmasked. Ron was being sincere. "Thank-you."

Ron seemed a little startled, "What for?"

"For apologizing… and for calling me nice," Blaise smiled just a little. He'd been hot, gorgeous, dangerous, and sexy…never nice.

"Yeah, well, you are," Ron smiled a little two and they both gave small laughs into the night.

"Tell me something," Blaise walked past him, to the ledge and seated himself.

"Okay," Ron followed and sat beside him, "What do you want to know?"

"Anything," Blaise shrugged. "Tell me everything."

Ron thought for a second, "My brother's getting married soon. Bill, he's marrying Fluer, you remember?"

"Of course," Blaise nodded and took another drag.

"Well, Mum doesn't really like her," Ron felt himself relax, someone was really listening and it was nice. "I don't know how Bill feels about it…he wants them to get along and Fluer is totally oblivious. I'm worried Mum will call it off and make Bill move back home so she can find him a 'good, sturdy woman' like she wants for Charlie, the twins, Percy and me.

"Fred and George are doing really well with their shop too, they're making loads of money. I wish they didn't work so much, they never write and they were barely around this summer. I'm glad they're doing well and helping out the family but…I miss my brothers. It's all getting so hard. Mum could barely find a time they're all free to have family trips or invite them all over.

"Charlie only came home twice; once for two days and once for three. He barely did anything but sleep and visit old friends. He didn't speak to me at all and…Merlin, I don't know. Bill's all about his fiancée, Percy spent all summer working, his hours were so weird I only knew he was in the house because Mum had me clean his room once or twice.

"Oh, and Ginny, Merlin, she started dating some boy from the village and spent hours upon hours every day with him. She learnt to ride a horse, milk a cow, blah blah. I don't know, it all got really complicated this summer. Harry spent most of the summer with Narcissa, Hermione visited fairly often, that was fine but now she hates me so, that doesn't matter. I wish my family could just drop what they're doing and spend a night talking and being a family, like we used to." Ron gave a heavy sigh, "Sorry to unload on you like this."

Blaise shook his head, "Don't worry about it, we all need someone to listen."

Ron looked at a spot on the floor, "I know it's dumb and irrational but I always feel so left behind. Bill and Charlie, Percy and the twins, they're all so good at something and even Ginny'll be really pretty soon, she already is. They're all so…pureblooded. My friends are all so good at everything, Harry, the savior with the perfect pure boyfriend and Hermione, the genius, soon to have herself a new, better boyfriend. I feel like I'm getting left behind in the dust."

Blaise felt sorry for the young male. He thought, for awhile, that it would be nice to always have someone around to talk to. Now it seemed Ron, even with all his siblings, his friends, had no one. Blaise moved so they were shoulder to shoulder and leaned into the tall red-head, pushing just a little.

"Let the dust settle," he smiled and leaned his head down a little. Ron turned his head so they were face to face.

"What?"

Blaise felt himself smile a little more, "Let the dust settle, there'll be a road sign or friendly, fellow traveler to help you along."

"Metaphors," Ron chuckled and turned back to the floor.

Blaise nudged him again, "They're not as bad as you think."

Ron shrugged, in the night it wasn't obvious but he was a very dark shade of red. "I guess."

"What's wrong?" Blaise leaned away a little, worried that he had scared the other boy.

Ron shrugged again, "I don't know. Lonely is all, worried and stressed out."

"You're not interested in anyone?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know, maybe, it's nothing I've thought about before," Ron fell silent immediately.

Blaise smiled and felt his eyebrows rise. "Really?"

Ron did nothing but nod.

* * *

**This is the last chapter before Bavaria. I'll (hopefully) write while I'm gone and come back with oodles of Slashy goodness and answers to your burning questions. **

**Ehm, not much to say other than that.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**

**ps- anyone know a good way to smuggle absinth back from Germany?**


	32. The MereQueen

**:Prefects Study Room and Lounge:**

"Merlin, Harry, are you okay?"

Harry was sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall with his fingertips pressed to his scar. Draco knelt before him, frowning.

"Yes…" Harry inhaled deeply and cracked his eyes open.

"What did you see?"

"How do you know I saw anything?"

"Lucky guess," Draco seated himself and kept eye contact with the other boy.

"I saw you," Harry admitted. "Azriel was there…he looked like he was on fire and the castle was destroyed. I don't think it was Hogwarts but it may have been. That faded and I saw the Dark Lord. He told me to give him the Keeper."

Draco's look darkened, "He's after mum?"

Harry nodded, "I'm sorry Draco, you shouldn't get involved. The Dark Lord is my responsibility and I shouldn't put you in danger."

"Bugger that," Draco stood, "I've dealt with him, you know that. Harry, listen," Draco sat down again, "The fact that you're worried about me, that you care so much, it's really nice and I'm flattered. Just because I look like I'm made of glass that doesn't mean I really am."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know," Draco leaned forward and kissed his nose, "Trust me, please."

"I do," Harry insisted. The irony of that struck him, he knew Draco was keeping the addiction a secret, Draco did not know his huge secret. It was all horribly twisted.

"Good," Draco felt a little guilty about playing the trust card but he had to. Harry would revert into his 'I'll pull away so you're safe' mode and the whole thing would go to hell.

"Should we tell your mother?"

Draco shook his head, "Not now, let her shred the Head Master and keep Azriel calm."

Harry nodded and let out a small laugh, "Someday, we'll have to tell Dumbledore that it isn't worth it to argue with Narcissa."

"He'll never win an argument, why does he try?"

"I don't know."

Harry turned and let his gaze wander around the room. He saw a large book shelf, the books were all blocked by framed photos, some recent and some very old. He moved towards it and saw photos from the 1960's mixed in with ones from just a few years ago. There were a few from the 1800's and a two painted portraits from much earlier. The most recent photo was of Hermione, Pansy, Ernie and a Hufflepuff girl named Hannah. They were sitting around the lounge, obviously discussing something important because Pansy was giving them all nasty looks. Hermione had a pile of papers on her lap and ruffled through them every so often.

Harry scoured the shelf until he found one of Draco and Hermione consulting about something while Ron played chess with a Ravenclaw girl.

"You all seem friendly in most of these," he said, omitting Pansy.

Draco nodded, "At the beginning of last year the prefects made an agreement that, inside this room, we keep the argument school issue based. No house rivalries or pureblood elitism. It's kept things running smoothly so we can't complain."

Harry smiled, "Was it Hermione's idea?"

Draco confirmed that, "Yes," he did an impression of her, "First order of business."

"Sounds just like her."

Draco smiled and slid himself under Harry's arm and the Gryffindor smiled and pulled him into a hug. Draco smiled into Harry's chest while Harry continued to survey the photos.

"See anything good?"

"I think I see your father," Harry pointed.

Draco turned and followed his gesture. The photo had a silver and bronze frame and the photo was black and white but very sharp. A young man, Lucius, was sitting on the window sill, eating a pear and staring outside while a girl, perhaps seventeen, stood by the door, holding her wand out. A silver-grey trail followed the wand, a charm of some sort.

"What do you think she's doing?"

"She is Theo's mother and it looks like a harmless cheering charm."

"How can you tell?"

"The motion," he shrugged, "Plus, mum has implied that father was very quiet and sad looking as a youth. Young Lucius," he pointed to the photo, "Looks very sad there."

"He does," Harry nodded. "That's Theo's mother?"

"Malika," Draco answered.

She was slender, almost gaunt, but hidden beneath her school robes. She had Theo's hair color and facial features but her eyes were a sad looking.

"She's so sad," Harry sighed.

"She always was. Her life is hard. She was married to the man that killed the man she loved, he rejected their son, the Dark Lord wants Theo instead, and her own life is compromised to protect her son. Top it all off with the fact that she was the last of a family. The death of a grand lineage."

"And Theo?"

"Knows it, he loves his mother fiercely but cannot help her as much as he wishes to."

"Wow," Harry fell silent. Theodore was the quiet one and that was the extent of Harry's knowledge of him. He was good looking and sharp witted and very intelligent. Harry had only met his mother once or twice when she stopped by the Manor but she seemed a worrisome woman, always fussing and scared by something.

Draco nodded against the taller boys chest.

"Are you as cold as I am?" he asked.

Harry smirked, "I'll give you some of my heat," and he leaned down and kissed the blonde.

**:Shag Terrace:**

"It's freezing," Ron said, watching his foggy breath rise away.

Blaise nodded, "I think it's beautiful," his eyes watched the sky.

Ron turned to see what Blaise was looking at but he never got that far. He was caught, frozen still, looking at the snake. The moon made him perfect.

"Yeah, it is."

Blaise looked at him and laughed, "You're not even looking at the sky."

Ron turned scarlet, "It's weird that there aren't any clouds."

Weather, nice neutral topic,

"Yes, this late in the season, you would expect something in the sky."

Ron nodded.

"But it is nice this way, sitting and waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for dawn, for a wolf howl or a shadow across the moon, for a shooting star…for you to kiss me," Blaise kept his eyes on the sky.

Ron watched him for a second, "Really?"

Blaise turned from the sky to look at Ron, "Really."

He leaned in and pressed his lips to Blaise's. A hand found its way into his hair and held the kiss for a moment before Ron pulled away.

"I'm sorry…I've never really thought of myself as…I mean…I don't even know if I-I didn't mean to-"

"Calm down," Blaise smiled, "If you feel it, trust it. Maybe this is the dust settling and we can catch up together."

Ron found himself smiling too, "It's just not something I considered. When Harry revealed he was…gay, I mean, I was a little shocked, he'd never even mentioned it before. I guess it was never really a topic of conversation. I never considered this, not until well, my break-up with Hermione. It was like, an explosion and when everything cleared this perfect guy appeared. Suddenly he-you were everywhere, Hermione's best friend…Harry's mate, everything.

"I was really jealous at first, I was scared you were replacing me. I mean, you were everything, you had everything. After awhile I realized it wasn't that I wanted to have everything, I wanted the guy with everything…I don't think that makes sense, sorry. What I'm trying to say is, is that I fancy you."

"It's mutual," Blaise assured him.

"I ramble, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Blaise smiled, "Everyone needs to express themselves and, though not the most articulate declaration I've ever received, it was, by far, the sweetest."

Ron blushed again, "Thank-you."

Blaise nodded, "I'm glad I said something."

"Yeah," Ron nodded.

"I-I need to know…are we boyfriends?"

Ron was silent.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. I'm used to moving fairly fast and it's simply that boys usually expect that, right away."

Ron shrugged, "I've never considered having a boyfriend, I admit. I think," Ron said, "We should move really slowly, I don't know if I'm really ready to be a boyfriend. I want to make sure I don't hurt you and I want to make sure I can actually be there and I don't want to do anything too soon. I don't know if I want this to be a two week thing, I want it to last longer than that, a lot longer. So, to make sure I'm ready to be a good boyfriend, we should wait for a little while to go there."

Blaise nodded, "I am sorry, I've never really been in a relationship like this."

Ron smiled, "Neither have I."

They both laughed a little.

Ron stood, "Let me walk you back to your dorm."

"Of course," Blaise smiled.

Few boys walked him to his dorm without expecting to come in. It was a foreign thing to Blaise, to _not_ be a prize. He wondered if Draco felt the same thing with Harry. The boys, Draco and Blaise, were both liable to fall for bad men. It is said that a boy wants a woman just like his mother and a girl wants a boy just like her father. Apparently Blaise and Draco wanted men like their fathers; bad men. Sasha, Cole, everyone boyfriend either had ever had. Things did not last or did not end well. It was a consequence of their position; rich and beautiful.

"Left," Blaise said as they reached an intersection.

Ron followed, silently.

"Uhm," he paused, "Do you have a date for the Storm Ball?"

Blaise shook his head in the negative.

"Do you think you'd want to come with me?"

"Move slowly, huh?" Blaise gave him a cheeky grin, "I would really like to go with you."

"Great," Ron looked like someone had just given him a wonderful present.

It made Blaise feel special, that someone was that happy to simply accompany him to a school dance.

"Here it is," Blaise stopped.

"All right then," Ron smiled, "See you around," he kissed Blaise on the cheek and rushed back towards the main castle.

Blaise contained a squeal into Ron was out of earshot. He pranced down three flights of stairs to the entrance and slammed the wall open.

"AH!" He smiled.

Theo looked up and gave him the strangest look.

Pansy sat up, exhaling thick, black smoke as she did, "What?"

"Ron fancies me," he said very proudly.

Pansy laughed and took a drag on a Magic Black cigarette, "Wonderful love, just wonderful."

Theo raised a blondish eyebrow. "I thought he hated you for breaking up him and Hermione."

"Nope," Blaise tried to make himself stop smiling so much but it returned, "He's so sweet."

"You were incredibly angry with him an hour and a half ago," Theo consulted the clock on the mantle.

"He's not that bad, he apologized and he wants to take things slow," Blaise smiled, "But he did ask me to the Storm Ball."

Pansy cooed, "Blaisey, that's wonderful."

Blaise squealed again, "I have to go…do…something," he nearly skipped to the Boy's dorm.

Theo and Pansy exchanged looks.

**:Three Days Later, October 24:**

**:Grounds of Hogwarts Castle:**

"Morning class," Hagrid's voice echoed over the grounds, still foggy from the night. It did not seem the sun was planning to appear that day, intending to leave them all chilled and under a gloomy haze of grey.

"Now, we've been talking about studying the lake creatures, right?" The class muttered 'yes' and Hagrid went on, "Well, today we're going to go meet them."

They snapped awake at that.

"What?"

"Calm down," he laughed, "The Queen of the Merepeople has agreed to come above land."

The class murmured for a moment but stopped as the surface of the lake began to bubble and froth.

"Woah," Ron leaned forward, over Harry's shoulder, to watch the lake.

Slowly, a trident appeared and was followed by a vicious looking woman…thing.

She was scaled, blackish grey, and had webbed fingers and feet. Her arms were decorated by one orange and silver spine each, growing from her elbow. Her hair was long and flowed as if still underwater. She had slitted eyes dulled by their protective coating.

"This is Queen Akada'Nsha," Hagrid introduced her.

She opened her mouth to reveal sharp, black teeth, "Children," she observed them all.

Harry recognized her from Fourth year, she was not Queen then though.

Hagrid smiled at her and the Queen slowly made her way up the banks of the lake and onto land.

"Got any questions?" he asked the class.

Harry raised his hand immediately and she looked at him.

"How long have you been Queen?"

She smirked, "You must be that boy who came down a few years ago, Potter?"

He nodded.

"I have been Queen for just short of two years. Just after you came our King, my father, died."

"Real sensitive," Draco muttered.

"What is the structure of the hierarchy?"

"I am Queen of this tribe, below me are my children and then the General. Below that there are the warriors and the common merepeople. We are a very isolated tribe and do not require interaquatic diplomats and the like."

"Why do you have warriors then?"

"While the Dark Lord was incapacitated, during the summer months, when the level of the lake drops below Nskao Rock, wizards came to harvest the eggs hidden in the cracks of the lake walls. They took these and sometimes ventured into the lake to gather potions ingredients and things to sell on the Black Market. We defend ourselves as we see fit."

"Why did not Dumbledore protect you?" Hermione asked.

She snarled, "We are not his students to protect. We are strong and independent from this school. We cooperate with you, yes but do not mistake that for servitude."

"Sorry," Hermione mumbled.

Akada'Nsha sighed, "We are a defensive people, easy to anger and hard to deal with. It is I who should apologize young Miss Granger."

"H-How did you know my name?"

"You were in the lake, my dear," she gave a smirk, "I know your scent."

Hermione's eyes widened, "Really? You can smell us underwater?"

She nodded. "I can smell you now too." She inhaled deeply and seemed to scent something strange but regained her mask of indifference. Her eyes paused, almost unnoticeably, on Draco.

Draco noticed though and he did not like it at all.

* * *

**I'm back from my hiatus across the pond. I'm excited too. I got back Sunday and spent time sleeping, cooking, laundering and writing for this and Winter Estates. I'm happy with how this chapter turned out and Akada'Nsha is a side character who brings up an important topic so no need to worry about her too much. I added slashy goodness for you all but the next chapter, I've decided is going to be almost exculsively slashfun times in the castle. **

**This story is so mind-bogglingly popular it makes me giddy. I don't understand how little old me wrote something you all seem to adore and enjoy. I'm glad, don't get me wrong, it's just so incredible. I cannot thank you all enough. **

**LOVE  
ALWAYS  
FireStorm**

**My vacation went like this: Lots of touring, lots of beer, shopping, exploring, sleeping in a dormroom on an air mattress, weinershnitzel and cheese. It was so much fun and I highly recomend Munich to anyone traveling in the area, it is gorgeous and clean and friendly and very, very nice. Love much!**


	33. The Shower

**:Great Hall, that evening:**

"Students," Narcissa stood and they turned to look at her. "I know last night was very frightening for all of you. The fright was unnecessary but has given us a wonderful new part-time resident. Students, this is Azriel Snow."

Anyone who knew anything about the Snow family stood, gasping and watched him enter the Great Hall. Julian, from where he sat, continued to give him a death glare and Azriel gave him one right back. Students quaked when that look crossed his features but it disappeared again and he took his seat near Narcissa.

Her end of the table was being expanded nearly every day and teachers began to wonder why she was allowed such an entourage. Julian and Violet and Azriel were all young, purebloods with their whole lives ahead of them. Why would they spend so much time with Narcissa?

**:27 October Dungeon 2464:**

"That was a waste of my life," Ron grumbled as he rushed out.

Harry was at his side, Hermione on the other, like old times. Somewhere behind them Blaise was whispering to Draco in Greek and they were smirking evilly, as they almost always did.

Pansy was ahead of them and walking very quickly. Harry could not decide why but she was very upset about somethingHe caught up with her in a small, side hall and stopped her.

"What's going on?"

She shook her head, mask in place.

"Pansy…?"

She looked away from him, glared at spot on the floor and then, slowly raised the sleeve of her jumper to show a black ring around her wrist.

"What is that?"

"The binds from the Death Eater attack. I though Pomfrey had healed them but…I noticed these just last night. Harry, I'm really worried," she bit her bottom lip.

"This is the first time you've ever seen them?"

Pansy nodded. "It may be the increase in raw magic in the air, with Narcissa and Azriel wandering around it is possible they reopened the magical wounds."

Harry nodded, "To be sure, you should tell Narcissa and Madam Pomfrey."

"I will."

"Good, I don't want anything to happen to you," he hugged her gently and she smiled.

"You're a sweet boy Mr. Potter."

**:That Evening, the Old:**

"Here," Harry tilted the Second Year's wand a little differently, "That's the way, try again."

"_Accio!"_ he shouted and the book flew into his hands. "I did it! I did it! Mr. Potter, thank-you!"

Harry laughed, "Call me Harry and good job Jacob, that was great."

The boy turned pink and could not stop grinning.

Draco was on the other side of the room teaching children to banish objects. He dodged a flying fork and then realized the time. "Kids!" he shouted and they turned to him.

"Dinner is in ten minutes, break into your groups and we'll send you out. Quickly now," the children rushed around finding their assigned groups of three or four. Draco checked that hall and began releasing the groups. In just a few minutes they were clear of the children and Draco sighed.

"Dinner's in two," Harry consulted his watch, "Need an escort?"

"You know we can't do that," Draco said, leaning back against the tall wooden doors.

Harry shrugged, "I'm not really in the mood for the big groups in the Hall anyways."

Draco nodded, "That was a tiring session."

"Let's just go to the kitchen and get some sandwiches, we can eat in the Parlor or something."

"That's fine," he said.

The mosaic of Godric waved at them. He was a bear of a man with lion's mane of goldish brown hair and smart, laughter-filled blue eyes. Godric and Helga Hufflepuff were the most friendly of the mosaics. Rowena was nice enough but she kept seated and reading. Salazar, since awakening, had spent very little time in his own mosaic area, he was always gone and Draco secretly thought he was in the Chamber of Secrets, snarling about how run down it was or something like that.

They walked out, slipping into the corridor and away from the Great Hall towards the painting of the fruit bowl.

Harry opened it and Dobby appeared immediately.

"Mister Potter, sir, how is I helping you, sir?"

"Draco and I were hoping to get some sandwiches, if it's not too much trouble."

"No troubles at all, sirs," Dobby shuddered as he saw the blonde, "What kind is Dobby being allowed to get for you?"

"I would like corned beef and sauerkraut, Draco?"

"A toasted Rueben would be perfect, thank-you," he was almost unnaturally cordial to the elf, since he did not really want his sandwich spat in.

"Right away," Dobby popped out of view.

Harry looked at the blonde and gave him a small smile, "Are you all okay?"

Draco gave him a tentative nod.

"What?"

"Nothing important," Draco silenced him.

The Slytherin Prince looked at the ground, thinking very hard. His mind had strayed to the summer, the Fatian Centre, the party. It was meandering around in those memories, increasing his feeling of guilt. Draco rarely felt guilty for anything but this…this was uncomfortable, unnatural, painful almost.

This MC addiction, it haunted him. Draco had dealt with ghosts, with annoying, hovering creatures, external things. He had never been so tormented by an internal thing. His instincts told him that Harry knew something was going on and, more immediately, that Blaise and Theo and Pansy all knew exactly what was going on. Technically the hard, painful down after the drug wore off was supposed to balance out the high. Usually it worked and addictions were minimized.

Draco doubted he was addicted to the high or the drug itself. His omniscient view told him he was more likely addicted to what the drug stood for. The connection to the muggle world, the humanity of doing drugs, that was the addiction. Draco was trained his whole life to be inhumanly cold, distant and intelligent. Humanity.

That was something else he liked about Harry. He was purely and entirely human, he was flawed and funny and casual.

Harry cocked his head to the side, Draco was thinking about a very dark subject. His eyes had become darker and darker. With a smile he slid up beside the snake and put an arm around him.

"Cheer up, love," Harry kissed his temple.

Draco leaned his head back against Harry's shoulder, "I'm tired."

"I know, it's been a long day."

Dobby reappeared with the food, handed it over and received a charming Potter smile.

They left and found their way to the Parlor, newly decorated and comfortable.

The sofas were moved back around the fireplace and a wide, open area exposed for the children to practice in.

Draco took the seat nearest the fire and motioned for Harry to sit next to him.

The lion did.

"Good food?" Draco asked as Harry started eating.

"The best," Harry smiled, "That's something I really miss about Hogwarts when I go back to Privet Drive, the food."

"Is your aunt a poor cook?"

"I dunno," Harry admitted, "I do most of the cooking."

"Honestly?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, "I'm a fair cook, can't do anything very fancy but that doesn't matter, the Dursley have been eating the same thing for breakfast since before I can remember. It's a routine."

"How long have they had you cooking for them?"

"Since I was old enough to reach the controls for the stove, so…since I was nine maybe."

"I'm _still_ not allowed near the stove and you've been cooking for seven years?"

Harry laughed, "I was closest to the kitchen so it was easy for me to get up a little early and make them breakfast. If I didn't cook for them then I didn't get to eat, simple."

"They didn't feed you?"

"Sometimes," Harry qualified, "Don't worry, they don't mess with my anymore, not now that I'm a wizard and a world savior and since Remus and Moody showed their teeth."

Draco nodded and leaned his head against Harry, "What was it like?"

"Living with muggles? It was boring, hard, uncomfortable and unpleasant, that's it mostly." Harry paused, "Living with wizards though, that's fun. I get to do magic, play Quidditch, hang around with you."

Draco smiled, "Yes, I suppose that is fun."

Harry nodded enthusiastically. "Very."

Harry leaned over and kissed him.

Draco broke this kiss, laughing, "You taste like sauerkraut."

Harry turned red and laughed, "Sorry."

"Couldn't care less."

Harry kissed him again and he did not pull away.

It was slow at first, a few short kisses and smiles, a chuckle as Draco insisted on finishing his sandwich.

"What will you do after this?"

"After dinner? Go to bed most likely."

"No, I meant-"

"I know what you meant Harry. I don't know what I will do, spend time in France and Canada and wait, maybe tan a little if it suits my mood."

Harry nodded, "I can't imagine you with a tan."

"Neither can I, to be honest about it."

Harry laughed again until he was silenced by another kiss.

They remained there for hours. Lying before a fire and sharing a few kisses stopped by discussion and smiles.

"It's nearly curfew," Harry motioned towards the clock.

Draco made a noise and stood, "Come on, you can walk me back to the dungeon."

Harry laughed and followed him into the darkening, nearly empty halls. As soon as they began to descend into the lower levels, Draco took his hand and pulled through an extended, round-a-bout route through four tapestries and what seemed to be a tower. Then they arrived at the expanse of wall.

"Merlin, Drake, it's ten past curfew and Filch nearly caught us twice." Harry glanced up the hall.

"I guess you'll have to sleep over then," Draco did not sound in the least bit upset.

"I-"

"Don't be pervy, Harold," Draco smirked. "Eclipse," and the wall slid open with only a slight, scrapping sound.

Harry followed him in and through a painting of a dark sky.

Down a short hall and into another large, circular room and then through a third passage into the incredibly comfortable, surprisingly warm dormitory of the Sixth Year boys.

The other boys barely even acknowledged he was there but continued talking or dressing for bed.

"Won't this be weird…for them?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at him, "We're not going to do anything."

Harry shrugged and took off his shirt and before Draco could say anything he leapt onto the bed and was bounced around for a moment. "I'll live here, thanks."

Draco put his hands on his hips, "That's my side."

Harry rolled over, "There you are."

The blonde closed the curtains and put on his night clothes before climbing through the dark hangings and barely making it over the Gryffindor before fell and smacked his head against the wall.

"Ow," he stuck out his bottom lip and rubbed his head.

Harry laughed, "That was dumb."

"So are you, it must be rubbing off on me."

"Now I'm the one who is injured."

"I hardly think an insult is comparable to my massive head wound," Draco retorted and touched the spot again.

"Draco," Harry sighed, "It's not even a welt."

"It's trauma," he defended and slid under the heavy covers, "You're letting heat escape."

"What heat?"

"Shut up and sleep with me."

Harry climbed under too.

**:The Next Morning, Same Place:**

"Wake up," a voice next to his ear brought Harry from his dream.

He opened an eye to blurs of white, green, black and red-brown.

"Glasses," the voice said, now recognizable as his boyfriend. They slid onto his face and Draco came into view.

"Morning," Harry yawned and realized something, "Is everyone else up?"

"In about ten minutes."

"I should go then," Harry made to leave.

"You can shower here, if you like," Draco offered.

Harry looked at the clock. Gryffindor was up by now and his entrance would be conspicuous. "All right."

He followed Draco into a long, narrow room. There were enough showers for most of Slytherin and they weren't just shower heads on a tile wall with plastic curtains to separate them either.

These were individual, glass door, silver rimmed shower stalls with porcelain mosaic tile walls and dark green towels on each door.

"Holy…" Harry went wide eyed.

"I know I-"

A door slammed somewhere else and Draco grabbed the lion and dragged him into the nearest stall. Within a minute, fifty voices echoed from the walls, female and male alike.

"Oh shit," Harry sighed before turned to speak to Draco. "I-"

"We're going to shower," Draco explained as his took of his night pants.

"Uh," but before anything important came out he was hit with water as the shower was turned on. "Shit," he took off his school pants and glasses before they were soaked and set them on the "Ever-Dry" shelf installed in the stall.

"Come here," Draco had a pool of shampoo in his hand.

"I'm not a baby, I can-" and then he was being lathered.

**Yeah, Sorry about the massive delay.**

**I was handed a helping of writers block, Tech-Week for One-Acts and AP tests.**

**This is fluff-slash, sorry but…yeah. I think it's coming along, hope you agree. **

**Uhm, Prom is this upcoming Saturday (the 13) and oh man am I excited. Hot dog!**

**The Boy I like and I are going to Taco Del Mar and then a party afterwards but he's lame so is not coming to the dance itself.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**

**Ps- hopefully I'll update again soon, this chapter made my heart glad. :)**


	34. The Sunrise

**:The Great Hall:**

Pansy…

"You all right?"

"No, not at all. Do I look all right? If I do then I'll intensify the look of confusion and hurt on my face."

"Vicious much?"

"Shut-up."

"Why?"

She growled and pushed away from the table, standing up and thundering out of the hall, shoving a few lower years out of her path.

Theo shook his head. "Very strange."

The sandy strands across his eyes obscured things for a moment before he flipped them out of his sight line. His eyes landed on the intriguing female third of the Gryffindor Golden Trio. Hermione was quietly eating her breakfast and reading something, it appeared to be his copy of _Transfiguration and Transformative Spells_ by Audi Soraudi.

Theo thought she was very nice and more sincere than any other female he had ever come in contact with. Pansy, though loyal, did not invest her emotions in routine activities. Hermione did, she was all in, every time. That both interested and confused him. She knew so much of the world but still seemed blind to all the disappointment and hardships it held. He had, at first, judged her as naïve but that had changed.

He was not sure if he liked her or was simply amazed by her. It was not something he was accustomed to.

Theo knew he seemed to be the quiet, studious member of the Slytherin quartet. It was true that he was level-headed and serious but his rapid maturation into adulthood was not his choice. It was forced on him when Voldemort chose him. Theodore thought about what that one event had done to him.

He, after a great deal of objective thinking and consideration, decided that his addiction to MC was a direct result of his prolonged contact so such a dark and troubling creature. Magical cocaine, for all its downsides, was one of the best anti-depressants known to man. Theo started using when he was thirteen, a child in many ways but far too old in many others.

Hermione had no idea.

Well, as far as he knew she had no idea. She did not know he smoked cigarettes or drank a bottle of beer with his friends whenever they gathered around the fire on Friday nights or the weekend. She did not know what he had been through and maybe that made this cute little relationship Blaise had put together impossible.

She had never seen him, chilled and shaking on the tile floor at dawn.

She never saw his wide, heavily bagged eyes from being unable to sleep for day

She did not spot the bruises from falling down stairs, passed out cold.

She was not there when his nose bleed for hours through the night.

She could not understand the pain of dry heaves when you had not eaten in three days.

Theo did not know how she could do anything but pity him for having been through that. The Nott heir was accustomed to pity from stupid people, from his mother and his friends and passersby who thought him frail and sad looking. He did not like or accept pity from someone he had slowly grown to consider an equal.

Secretly he worried that maybe he did like her and he was putting her in a horrible position. One between accepting him for a deeply flawed, evil and dangerous being and pitying him immensely.

Across the hall Hermione was still absorbed in the book but something pressed the corners of her mind. She felt Theo's stare and her heart had changed rhythms just then but he looked away.

He was deep in thought or would not have dared stare so blatantly. She knew that. She also knew that he was very sad looking that day, it was in his eyes and the way he sat.

He was sitting with a straight back and squared shoulders and a superior sneer directed at all the world but she had seen him when he was truly excited. When he constantly ran a hand through his hair and could not close his mouth, even if he was not speaking, and when his eyes darted around the room, looking at everything and nothing. She had seen him this way and now, the boy across the hall was stoic and sad looking.

Harry told her that Theo went to the Fatian Centre with Draco and since Blaise had set them up Hermione had been trying to convince herself that he just there to support his friend. Her logic was telling her otherwise. Perhaps he was addicted too. Harry refused to tell her, saying it was his choice.

**:Yorkshire Village Post Office:**

"Zabini, Blaise," his smile formed a sense of ease in the man across from him.

"What are you picking up?"

Blaise stood up straight, put a cigarette between his lips and lit it. "A package, about yey big," he motioned, "and about as heavy as…" he searched for something of comparable weight, "this," he pointed to the teller's book set out before the man.

The iron bars between them stopped Blaise from actually touching the ancient, leather bound tome but his point was made.

"One moment," the man turned and began searching the rows of brown wrapped boxes tied with string.

"Thanks," Blaise smirked and turned away, back towards the hard, leather chair Ron sat it while reading a muggle magazine.

"What?" Ron looked up.

"Nothing really," he shrugged, "How do you feel about seafood?"

"Why?"

"Lunch."

"We have school. Classes start in a half hour Blaise and we should leave campus like this."

"When was the last time you had to use anything McGonagall's ever taught you?"

Ron thought for a moment, "That's not the point-"

"Ever used something Binns has mentioned?"

"Bu-"

"Snape?"

"No bu-"

"Exactly. We can miss a day of classes in order to have some fun."

The iron bars grated together as they were slid up.

"Master Blaise Zabini?"

"Yes?" he turned, "Oh, that's it."

The man moved the box through the opening and Blaise set it on the floor.

"Sign here," he turned the book around so Blaise could sign.

He was handed a quill and, with pureblood flourish, he left his mark. "Thank-you, come on Ron."

"What are we doing now?" They left the small post office and Ron looked around the quant, medieval town square, "And why did we have to come to Yorkshire to do it?"

"Secrecy," Blaise smirked, "Secrecy."

"Yes, well," Ron sighed, "Can we go back now?"

"Why?"

"What if the Death Eaters attack us or something bad happens?"

Blaise groaned, "You sounds like my mother."

"Shut up," Ron blushed a little.

"It doesn't matter," Blaise assured him. "How do you feel about seafood though?"

"Ugh," Ron made a noise.

"Hold me," Blaise opened his arms and Ron stepped into them. He put an arm around the Italian's waist and felt the darkly tanned arms go around his shoulders.

"We had better be going back to Hogwarts or so help me Merlin I'll-"

Blaise apparated them.

"-Kick you in the shi…shit."

"Welcome to Italia!" Blaise threw his arms into the air and smiled.

**:Hogwarts School:**

"Don't you feel clean?"

Harry thought about that for a moment.

"Clean in an incredibly nasty sort of way."

Draco smirked, "Now, just because you saw me naked that doesn't mean I'm going to-"

Harry pulled him close and kissed him.

They had towels around their hips but nothing else and the feeling of Draco's pale chest on his made Harry want to get closer.

The blonde pulled away.

"Classes started ten minutes ago, love."

"What!"

"Didn't you know?"

Harry checked the new Gnome clock and it confirmed the time.

"Oh Merlin, how will we explain that?"

"We won't." Draco shrugged, "We're avoiding Transfiguration for the day."

"But what if McGonagall…I mean, what if she makes some sort of connection between-"

"Blaise and Ron are gone too."

"Where'd they go?"

"Yorkshire."

"Why?"

"Package."

"Oh, okay th-wait, why did Ron go with Blaise? They're not…friends or anything, are they?"

Draco avoided eye contact rather obviously.

"I have no idea," he turned from the lion and began folding his pillow cover.

"Draco?"

"Nu-uh, I refuse to say anything."

"Draco Malfoy you tell me what's going on between our best friends or so help me Merlin I'll-"

"Blaise and Ron are…in the process of becoming an item."

"They're what?"

"They're moving _very_ slowly. It's adorable."

"Ron likes boys?"

"Apparently."

"Buuuuht, I mean…"

"No, I know for a fact that Blaise is a boy and that they are progressing towards relationship-hood. Now, it was just as shocking for him when you came out, so let him off easy."

Harry just stood there for a moment and then nodded, awkwardly.

**:In the Northern Tower:**

"Jerk."

"Whore."

"Inbred."

"Woman."

"Excuse you."

"You heard me."

"Yes, I did," Julian shifted his weight. "I was giving you the chance to redeem yourself but I suppose the Snow family doesn't really think that way."

Azriel shrugged, "I could not care less, honestly."

"Really?"

"Yes, because I know I could turn you into a side dish without even breaking a sweat."

"I hardly think I would be a good side dish."

"I did not say you would be a good side dish; just that you would be one."

"I can see why people always thought of you as a giant bugger."

Azriel laughed at that, his cold, snarling laugh, "People are stupid and self-centered and useless."

"And nymphs are so much better?"

"Of course."

"I don't think any logical creature in the world would support you in that."

The ice blue eyes shifted from the other blonde to the morning sky, dawn was almost done and the pink hues burned away the darkness of night.

Julian looked at him strangely, "What is it?"

"I have not seen a sunrise in more than three years."

"Oh, that," Julian put his elbows on the ledge and leaned over. "It's nice…people, muggles and wizards alike, take it so much for granted."

Azriel nodded, "I cannot understand the idea that people ignore them."

"When you don't see them for awhile, or even know when they're happening…it's so hard to understand."

"When did you know imprisonment?"

"After the Dark Lord took me from St. Petersburg. I had the choice of dying in there or giving up some dignity in exchange for checked freedom. I made my choice, it was not honorable or heroic or good but it helped me and now I can help more people. Dumbledore thinks I am still loyal to him, everyone does, they assume I loved him."

"You did not?"

"How can you love something so full of hate? No, I never loved him or respected him or cared for him beyond the fact that he let me live."

"How do you know so much of him?"

"He likes to hear himself talk. He spoke of everything, his goals and plans, followers, strategy, ideas, philosophies, all of it. He would talk for hours and, and only to me. I don't think he ever told another living being any of it but I was never that important. He never expected me to leave alive, I think, so now he has a massive weakness."

"I see."

Julian turned from the sun, "What am I going to do after the war?"

"You're a Malfoy."

"I was a Malfoy." He countered, "Now I'm…the Dark Lord's whore."

Azriel frowned, "Have you nowhere to go?"

"I could…" he paused, "I'll go back to Russia."

"I have never seen that part of the world."

"I though the fire colony you lived with was in Asia."

He shook his head, "In the Chilean mountains."

"Really?" Julian nodded. "What about…I mean…is that where you met…?"

"Corisha? Yes, that is where I _won_ her."

"Didn't you love her?"

"A little but I won her to save her. She could be my mate, or the mate of a violent nymph and he would have killed her and any children she bore. Here she could at least survive without beatings."

"I see."

"Yes, it was complicated, I grew to love her, with time but it was not a love of passion, more of pity."

"That explains a lot of things."

"Like?"

"Like why you came to Hogwarts for a half year, why you never thought twice about not shagging every girl in school."

Azriel chuckled, "Yes, I suppose that explains it."

* * *

**Kind of a wierd place to end, I know but I'm trying to keep you all attached and my mind is being sparadic. That's not spelt right. Whatevs.**

**Prom was wonderful :) I have many photos if you wish to check out my photobucket I'll attempt an html in my profile. Great.  
**

**I also like this chapter, just cuz I like exploring Theo's character a lot. That is that. Sorry if it was kind of emo and depressing or what not. This one was not so slashy and but still cute and you learn a little about the older boys which I like writing. Azriel and Julian are both fun characters to write. **

**I know it's a Monday so this whole week people may not get to read or review but since I didn't have a chance this weekend I did not want to make people sad or anything.**

**Great!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	35. The Dancing Monkey

**:Italia:**

"I'm in Italy?"

"Yes."

"Not like, Little Italy in New York or something, actual Italy."

"Yes, Southern Italy no less, closer to Cicely than anything else."

"Why couldn't we go back to Hogwarts?"

"Because I like it here."

"Uhm, there's an organ grinder with a monkey…"

"I know," Blaise smiled, "His name is Banana!"

"The monkey?"

"No, the organ grinder." Ron's eyes went wide. "Of course the monkey."

Ron laughed, "You're an idiot."

Blaise laughed too, snorted and then stopped laughing all together so he could turn a dark red. Ron doubled over in laughter, supporting himself on his knees.

"Shuttup!" Blaise shouted but he did not stop laughing either.

It took a long few minutes before either one was calm.

"Come here," the elder man motioned them over, speaking with his thick accent.

They approached him.

"Come here," he said again.

They leaned together and closer to him until they were mere inches away.

"Find the key," he whispered.

Ron shot up and began looking around for a key, confused.

"What key? Where? Blaise, what's he on about?"

"The soul is the key to the heart," Blaise answered.

"Well done," the man nodded and began to grind the organ. The monkey chirped a little and began to dance. He jumped from where he sat and began spinning in a circle around the two boys.

"What's it doing?" Ron moved very close to the Italian.

Blaise just smiled.

Banana pulled out a little bag of something and began dropping it behind him as he circled faster. The silver dust glowed as Banana stepped over it again.

"Blaise?" Ron's voice cracked as he watched the small monkey.

Banana jumped away from them as the silver glow spread through the cracks of the stone street. Each stone began to glow until the circle was lit.

"BLAISE!" Ron squealed as the stone road dropped away beneath them and they fell, hard, onto a new road paved with black marble.

"Welcome," Blaise said from where he stood, elegantly, "To Prosecca Avenue."

"What?" Ron looked around at the knees of the wizards and witches nearby.

"Prosecca Avenue the most high-end Wizarding shopping district in all of Italy."

"Uh," Ron picked himself up and brushed off his backside. "Where?"

"Prosecca Avenue," Blaise pointed to the old street light with a gold and black sign. The light had three floating bugs in it that apparently lit at dark.

"Oh…where?"

Blaise sighed, "Come on," he took the lion's hand and led him through the thin crowd.

All the wizards had canes, top hats and capes held by jeweled clasps and made of fine cloth. The witches were dressed very properly with lace and accents and jewels all over. Ron stared blatantly and remained silent as some of them recognized Blaise and greeted him in Italian.

"Ciao," he called to them and smiled. "Come on Ron," he smiled.

"I've never been here before," Ron stopped before a white marble shop with Latin carved in the pillars and symbols above the door.

Blaise stopped to observe the shop front. "It's a wand maker," he said, "Those symbols mean 'luck,' 'truth,' 'power,' and 'prosperity.'"

"Really?"

"Yes," Blaise turned, "It's tradition for Italian Wizarding shops, homes and public buildings to have blessing symbols like that on the threshold." He pointed, "That one means 'length' in reference to a relationship."

"Oh," Ron looked at it. "What sort of shop is that?"

"A high end cleaning shop. They clean brooms, wands…canes and shoes I think, among assorted other things."

"Do you read Latin?"

"Sort of," Blaise admitted, "I know most things but I get confused fairly often. After four languages I went to hell, that why I never learnt Greek, couldn't fit anything more in me."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Blaise nodded, "I speak English, Italian, French and German along with all this Latin."

"What's Draco speak?"

"Oh Merlin," Blaise tried to recount, "English, Greek, Latin, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Welsh, I think."

"Merlin," Ron agreed. "Why?"

"Pureblood things, social standards and so on and so forth."

"I see."

"Blaise!" a tall man in orange lifted the boy off the ground, "Is so goot to zee you!" He set him back down and laughed.

"Ah, hello Mister Oztra," Blaise recognized the man and smiled, "This is Ron Weasley."

"Hello Miztar Veasley," he held out a paw-like hand, "I am Karl Oztra, ze ownar uf ze Chudley Canons. How iz it you know Blaise ere?"

"We go to school togeth…" his words trailed away, "You own the Chudley Canons?"

"Yez," he nodded proudly and spread his arms to show the orange garb. "Zey are playing zis aftarnoon at ze Arena ere en Prosecca."

"R-really?"

Blaise smiled, "I admit, I had a secondary motivation for bringing you here."

"What?" Ron whirled around to face the snake.

"I asked Karl for box seats and he sent them for this game," Blaise said.

"Yez and az a spezial suprize, I am hafing ze team come up aftar ze game to zay ello," Karl added, very proudly.

"Oh," Ron clutched at his heart, "Are you serious?"

"Yez," Karl looked at him with some worry, "Are you okay?"

"I-I think my heart's going to give out."

"He's a big fan," Blaise explained.

"Oh," Karl nodded but eyed Ron once more.

"It's only nine," Blaise consulted his watch, "What do you say we take a stroll down the Avenue?"

Karl turned and made a sweeping gesture towards the marble storefronts, "It is all ours."

"Come on," Ron was still regaining himself as Blaise pulled him down the perfectly paved street and towards a broom shop.

"What's that?" he asked as they stood staring at a silver and red broom displayed in the window.

"Zat," Karl said, "Iz ze 'Blood Moon,' a vary high-end broom made by a cumpany zat ze Malfoy's invest in. It iz ze mos' espensive broom on ze market and I zink it shall stay zat vay for a vary long time."

"The 'Blood Moon'?"

"Like it?" Blaise asked.

"It's a wicked cool name for a broom, I mean, that's scary. A guy comes at me on a thing called the Blood Moon and I'm not going to sit in his way. What's it do though?"

"Highest grade mahogany wood with amber oak tail twigs and it tops out at three-hundred kilometers per hour."

"Oh wow," Ron pressed his face against the glass, "Isn't mahogany wood really heavy though?"

"It allows for better control," Blaise explained, "Magic works best in dense woods and mahogany is dense. The weight of the wood was a small price to pay for all the charms and enforcements in those. They're a limited series too, only twenty-seven are being made."

Ron gaped, "Really?"

"Yez," Karl nodded, "And ze cumpany iz givink most of zem to high society purebloods who invest. Zis one," he leaned over and read the plaque, "Iz on loan from ze Prosecca family zemselves."

"There's actually a Prosecca family?"

"Yes. Their castle is at the far end of the Avenue, this used to be a small town where their serfs lived and worked. Then they turned it into a single, high-end avenue."

Ron shook his head, "This is bloody insane."

"High society," Blaise smirked, "It is mind boggling."

Ron nodded and pouted his bottom lip, "My brain is going all goopy."

"Like a boogey?" Blaise asked.

"Exactly," and Ron got kissed on the nose.

"What was that for?" Ron asked.

Blaise shrugged, "You're adorable."

"Thanks but-" he was stopped as a group of students in black and white appeared from a side street.

"Oh," Blaise stopped an inch before bumping into one.

The boy turned to look at Blaise and both stopped dead.

Ron too a moment to observe the dark young man.

He was obviously Mediterranean, his bronzed skin and black hair gave that away. It was the golden brown of his eyes and the perfect shape of his face that made his appearance startling. He was tall, slim but strong and very intelligent, hidden behind square-ish black glasses and dressed in a cloak of expensive black cloth.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, the words touched by an Italian accent.

"I'm here for the Canons game this afternoon."

"I see," he nodded.

"You seem well," Blaise eyed the others, mostly prissy girls who sent glances at the boy.

"I am," he admitted, "And who is that?"

"He is no concern of yours."

The boy glanced at Ron, "Of course, I did not mean to interrupt your morning. If you'll excuse me," he nodded and began to walk away.

Blaise stood where he was and waited until they had all filed off down the avenue.

"Who was that?"

Blaise looked at Ron with some sadness in his eyes. "That's the boy that hurt Draco, his name is Sasha."

"That's Sasha?" Ron turned around to look at him again.

"Yes."

"Harry's trying to outdo that guy?"

"Harry has already outdone that guy," Blaise assured him, "Harry actually cares about Draco…I think."

Ron turned his blue eyes to the other boy, "He does, I can promise you, he does."

Blaise smiled, "And I can promise you that, given the choice, Draco would choose Harry in an instant."

"Good," Ron approved.

**:Hogwarts School, 12.00 PM that day:**

"Where in the name of Merlin has Ron gotten too?" Harry asked. He scanned the hallway in either direction. Ron had yet to exit the Lady Malfoy's class, currently substituted by Violet Parkinson. Harry had not seen him all day.

Draco glanced inside, "No one else is in there," he said, "He and Blaise must not have come back from Yorkshire yet."

"But, I mean, honestly, what's so interesting in Yorkshire?"

"I think Blaise mentioned a Quidditch game."

"What?"

"In Italy."

"Italy!"

"Yes," Draco nodded and began to walk towards the Great Hall with Harry in tow.

"That's," he paused, "Far."

"We know the owner of Ron's favorite team and Blaise got tickets for their game today. Simple really."

They continued on their way to lunch, wandering over different topics and eventually it came up.

"Why did you suddenly take an interest in me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just showed up in our compartment and proposed friendship, next thing I know I'm your boyfriend and my whole family is converging on Hogwarts while a war starts and you're perfect through the whole thing. Something happened, I know it."

"Drake, it's complicated, I mean, I asked to be your friend because I knew the war was going to start and-"

"Don't lie Harry. I know someone trained you to be aristocratic and I'm not mad about that. I admit it's even a little charming. I just want to know the truth."

"Like I said, it's complicated."

"I thought we agreed to trust each other. Why don't you tell me what happened? It can't possibly be so horrible you won't even talk to me about it."

_If only you knew…

* * *

_

**I'm back! dun dun dun  
Yes, it has been many moons and painful in that I have been trying very hard but not hard enough cuz you guys deserve more regular updates. It's exam week so, goddamn and hellfire. But it'll get regular and I'm starting to pull plot threads together and it'll start winding down cuz I hate stories that drag too much.  
It's getting there, promise.**

Holy Mother of Merlin, more than a thousand reviews and my heart aches, that's so incredbile and amazing and I feel like I've won an award or something. It's ridiculuously wonderful.

**That last few haven't gotten such strong responses and I hope that's because I posted them on wierd days...I hope you're all still reading and enjoying. **

**If there's anything that desperatly needs assistance then tell me and I'll try OH SO HARD to fix it since this fic means a lot to me.**

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	36. The Confrontation

_If only you knew…

* * *

_

"Draco," Harry tried to speak but it caught in his throat.

"What?" his eyes grew worried.

"Swear on all that is magical you'll hear me out," Harry said and Draco, with a frown nodded and seated himself.

"I don't understand what is so horrid, Harry."

"You will, pretty quick."

Draco looked at him strangely.

"This summer, I was sitting with Ron and Hermione in Diagon. Your mum came up and…and offered to train me to be your perfect boyfriend. Draco, she offered to help me get Sirius back. I accepted her offer and over the summer I learned so much about you it stopped being about Sirius and I fell for you."

Draco's eyes went hollow, they stared at Harry blankly.

"She let me live in your wing, in Dublin, and-and your art and your knowledge and these little things about you, your smile and your freckle and your shy mannerisms, they made your more than just Draco Malfoy," he said and sat next to the blonde, "They made you someone I really like and my godfather doesn't motivate me anymore, that hasn't for a long time, not since August."

Draco stayed silent and expressionless.

"Please-"

"Why did she ask you?"

Harry started, unsure of how to answer.

"If you're going to be honest, Harry, be entirely honest. Tell me."

"The other mothers…Blaise, Pansy and Theo's mums told her she didn't know you well enough to make you a perfect boyfriend."

"She doesn't," Draco said, "You're hardly perfect."

Harry winced.

"But why did you accept?"

"I miss him, Drake, Sirius was the first father figure I ever had and he died and I blamed myself. The chance of getting him back, it was right there and if anyone knows how, Narcissa does. Over the time we've been together, these past few months, I've found wonderful new things to keep me sane and happy. I won't lie, I won't tell her not to bring him back…but if she doesn't…I don't think I'll die or anything."

"You hated me."

"I didn't like you, true, but you didn't like me either. So we both had to come 'round."

Draco nodded and drew a breath, "I don't like it, not at all. I hardly think a dare is a good reason to start a relationship, especially with me. However, you were honest about it when I asked and that is, I think, a very important thing. You're not perfect but you're a hell of a lot better than anything else I've dated."

Harry turned red, "Yeah?"

"Yes," Draco corrected him, "And yes, you are."

"Thank you."

Draco sighed and looked at the wall across the hallway from them, "I have a freckle?"

"Yes," Harry smiled, relieved, "Right here," he leaned over and kissed the spot just behind Draco's ear.

The boy let out a giggle and squirmed away.

"What?"

"I'm ticklish there," he admitted and smiled a little, "Don't think we're done with this."

"I was honest," Harry reminded him, concern again dampening the mood, "Shouldn't you be?"

"What?" Draco knew instantly what he was on about but had no idea Harry knew.

"The drugs, Drake."

He was quiet and let his eyes trace lines in the stone so they would not meet the green, "How did you know?"

"I was in the room when you got home from Fatian this summer."

"I see."

"Are you over it?"

Draco inhaled again, "I don't know."

"Really?"

"I cannot honestly say that I'm completely over the drugs. The withdrawls were…painful and I've had support and no one has done anything wrong but, there's this temptation and this remnant dependency. It is worse than just about anything but better than some things. Sometimes I feel like I have failed my legacy but then I remember that I'm getting better and maybe I've proved that Malfoy's are not subject to the darkness. I worry about myself, in the early morning when I'm tempted, and I'm proud when I wake up without having done anything."

"So…?"

"I haven't taken any since I got back but it's there and I don't know if it will never happen again."

Harry frowned, "You'll be okay, I know it. You accepted me and I will accept you and I'll do everything I can to help you."

Draco looked at him, "I don't think it will be that easy."

**:Library, November 3rd:**

"Hello Theo," Hermione set her books down next to him.

"Evening Hermione," he sat up from his writings and looked at her.

She slid into the seat next to him and glanced at the parchment on the table. It was massive to say the least. He was near the bottom and it was unrolled all the way across the table and hanging over the far edge.

"What's that?"

"It is my Theorems and Thesis for the Magical Historical Society."

"Really?"

"It's going to be part of their Views on Modern History Essay Collection."

"You're getting published?"

"That is what they tell me."

"Theo, why didn't you say anything? That's great."

He nodded, checked that the ink was dry and began to roll up the parchment. "How was your day?" he asked.

"Fine, Ron and Blaise have been inseparable since Italy and Draco and Harry are working through that drug problem. I'm so glad too, Draco needs support and Harry is so dedicated to him and that will bring them so much closer together."

"I'm certain it will."

"I can't imagine trying to overcome such an addiction without the love and support of my friends and family."

Theo looked at her from beneath a few strands of gold hair.

"Can you?" she asked.

"It can be done."

"Why do you say that?"

"Everything can be done with determination and self motivation."

"I think that recovery would be eased and even sped up by the support and love lent by family and friends. In fact, it could even help prevent a relapse, knowing all those people care about you. Don't you think people should rely on those they care about for help?"

"I hardly think that someone with a true addiction will be swayed by a hug from his mother. You've never been addicted; you don't understand the need, the overwhelming dependency on that one thing, that high. Mum isn't going to convince a real addict that they should quit because nothing else matters to them, not even their friends."

"One would have to be severely addicted to go to such extremes."

"Some people."

"Some people," she repeated, angry and shocked.

"You were not there," he said, "At midnight when I lay awake, starving, exhausted and shaking because of the pain I was in. You did not know what I was going through, how I slept as if I were in a coma but woke up feeling as if I had not slept at all. You cannot tell me I would have recovered more easily with my friends. I had my friends support but my pain was no less than a friendless addict on the street going through this only because he is too broke to buy. Hermione," he sighed, "There is so much you know, but still so much you have no right pretending to know about. Reading a book does not give you all the knowledge you need to tell me how I should be and what I should have done. 'Should's are moot now, I am better and that is the answer to your strangely poignant questions."

She did not feel angry, insulted or hurt at his words for he did not say them angrily or with the intention to hurt. Hermione felt both ashamed (for having assumed she knew so much) and newly educated.

"You are better," she repeated, "I'm glad."

He nodded and let a small smile pass over his thin lips. "Drugs do not follow logic, pattern or theories and there in lies their true nature."

"Where did you hear that?"

"The person who first convinced me to try, he thought I was too stuck in intellectual thought and so decided drugs would be my irregularity. I agreed. He was wrong, though, that drugs do not have their patterns or logic. It is there, I found it and that helped make me see how pointless they truly are."

_He's confusingly brilliant_ she told herself and smiled. His hand found hers.

"Come on, if you like, I know a more secluded place to study."

**:Severus Snape's Quarters:**

"Blaise and Ron?" Severus asked, black eyebrows levitating as his mind tried to process the thought.

The white haired woman nodded and sipped her glass of pumpkin juice, "Since late October."

Snape smiled and poured himself a glass of brandy to take the edge off another long day of teaching. He was not a heavy or regular drinker by any means but the day was long and the students dull and his mark ached and made it hard to correct assignments and hex students in the hallway. Narcissa had not taught that day but spent it in London with a council of elders connected to the Keeper lineage. He knew little of it and she kept the details to herself. That was not bothersome either, twenty years with the woman and they trusted each other enough to let secrets lie. She never inquired about the Death Eater meetings and he never asked about her Keeper business, or her ancient magic or studies.

Since she had taken up residence in his rooms the number of books had greatly increased. When the school year started the rooms were covered in books and tomes and reference guides, manuscripts, journals and text books. The leather-bound and cloth bound things were under the bed, crammed into shelves, on top of the shelves and tables and in trunks, on trunks, in piles and filling up at least nine heavy cauldrons that rested precariously on top of books on top of chests. They were originally focused on the Dark Arts, defense and potionry but now there were books on herbal magic, the ancient magic, core magic, hereditary magic, pureblood lineage and a large assortment of other things pertaining to her situation.

"That is strange to me," he admitted and sat down, "Are you okay with it?"

She smiled, "When I went to the mound to pick up Harry this summer I made an observation of the young man and thought him a fine physical match to our Italian. I am not surprised that the proximity has brought them together."

"How is it, exactly, that you spotted such a relationship from four months away?"

"Talent," she answered briefly and smiled at him in the firelight. "Long day?"

"Quite," he admitted and nursed his brandy.

"Tell me."

"Many things," he said vaguely, "But nothing of interest except that I saw them holding hands as they left class."

"Shocker?"

"Needless to say," he indicated to the drink, "I nearly drew my wand and followed them but let it be. I will not get involved with student's relationships ever again, not after Marcus decided he could come to me with two hours of dramatic ego-vomit every night. 'This girls wants me but I dunno, that one's really easy' and on and on and on."

Narcissa laughed, "Sounds interesting."

"Oh, very," Snape grimaced and took another sip. "I hate teenagers, really I do."

"Our son will be one someday," she reminded him.

"No, he shall skip from twelve to twenty and not live a day in between."

"Ah," she crossed to him and wrapped her arms around him, "Do you remember when we were teenagers? All our fun?"

"All our strife," he added, "Between exams, puberty, the Marauders, my father and Lucius, my teenagers years were not full of the drunken fun and laughter that yours were."

"If not for our teenage years," she leaned her lips close to his ear, "We would not have known each other."

"One good thing..."

"You would not have inherited the family fortune."

"Two good things," he relented that as well.

"I would not look half this good."

"Fine, they were not so bad," he admitted and she caught him in a kiss.

"I knew I could convince you."

"You always do."

**:Slytherin Common Room, 2.45 AM on 5 November:**

"I cannot," he insisted, staring at the loose floor tile.

"Please, you have to; it'll finalize everything we've been talking about for the past week."

"Can we talk about it?"

"We've done nothing _but _talk about it for seven days and nights, Drake, come on, please."

"Harry, it is going too fast, I-I cannot make these changes as quickly as you want me to. I am not ready."

"When will you be ready then?"

"I have no idea," the blonde sat down to make his point. "You are not a mediwizard Harry; you cannot expect me to immediately adjust to this."

"Whuh?" Harry stopped, took a breath and sat down next to him, "Okay, I won't push."

"Thank-you," Draco smiled and leaned himself into the strong shoulder next to him. "The Storm Ball is coming fast."

"It is," Harry nodded and rested his cheek on the top of Draco's head, "Would you allow me to escort you?"

"It would please me greatly," he turned his head, smiled cutely and pressed a kiss to Harry's jawbone, "We should clarify that I am a boy and do not need an 'escort.' I need a 'date' or a 'bitch,' not an 'escort.'"

"I am perfectly aware that you're a boy, trust me, I'm aware of it." Harry winked suggestively and smiled, "I'll rephrase myself then…Draco, would you please let me be your bitch at the upcoming Storm Ball?"

"I will allow you to be such," he nodded was immediately pulled into the lion's lap. He let out a squeak and smacked the broad chest playfully, "Do not do that, it surprised me."

"No harm intended," Harry assured him and touched their lips together, "None at all," his breath entered the blonde and lingered in him.

"Kiss me again," and he did.

* * *

**Two things on my LIST OF AMAZING:**

**1- More than 1000 reviews. My heart palpitates in love for you all. I never expected any story of mine to recieve such an incredible reader response and I have nothing to say but thank-you and I owe, so much to you all. **

**2- The story is being translated into French. Oh Merlin...I can promise when I got her review saying she wanted to translate the story I fell out of my chair and shrieked...it was not the opertune time for such things BUT it was still amazing. Her penname is carbotine and she's French and I like her quite a bit. She'll post things and have the link to the original version and give credit and be good about it. I'm dying of excitment.**

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**Thank-you all again.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm00X  
**

**ps- my exams are done, graduation is tomorrow at 6 (I'm not graduating but I have friends who are) so now my days are this and cooking for my men friends who play music and strut. That is good news for you kids, and for them. LOVE**


	37. The Dread Queen

**:Grand Ballroom, 7 November:**

Lucius entered and immediately saw the Dark Lord where he sat impatiently upon a hastily erected throne. His black cloak looked less pristine than other times and the general atmosphere was one of anger and frustration. Other Death Eaters, all wearing their masks, stood in a semi-circle around the room.

"Lucius," the hiss echoed across the floor and hit him square in the chest. The white haired man stepped into the opening. "Bring Julian back here, immediately."

"Of course, My Lord."

There was the unsaid understanding that the youth could destroy them all. Voldemort hated the idea that his concubine, his servant, could, in one interview, bring his entire life's work to the ground. Julian was not one to be betrayed though and now the Dark Lord realized this.

The evil leader nodded and then a smile came to his lips, "How is your daughter?"

"She is still too young to do anything My Lord."

"Perhaps…" The Dark Lord waved his hand and Lucius rejoined the group.

The masks, a sea of the exact same black-lipped faces, stared at him as he set his thoughts aside and stood. "My followers," he said and growled deep in his throat, "A new threat has arisen. Azriel Snow and Julian Malfoy are top priority. I will begin plans to draw the whore from hiding and into the open where we may kill him. Azriel will be more difficult, his inhuman side will not go so quietly. That is where the mercenaries will be of help to us…Call in the Death nymphs, tell them it is for a good cause."

A follower rushed to the fireplace and disappeared through green flames. Lucius looked at the fire and then the stone clock face. Camille would awaken soon to feed their daughter…she had outright refused the name and taken to calling her Heleen, Heleen Bidelia Malfoy.

The preliminary birth records had it this way and Lucius hated that. Heleen was a wretched, common name and soon enough it would be altered. As soon as Chael was born and the official records written up the names would be switched and his way will have prevailed.

"My Lord," the fire roared green as the follower stepped through, "Her Majesty the Queen of Death has agreed to come speak with you on such short notice."

Voldemort had not expected her to come and so he stood as the fire crept, like water, up the sides of the fire place until only a wall existed. Through it stepped a terrible demon of a woman. She had blackish grey scales and hands tipped by dangerous claws. Her eyes were yellow and the pupil was a vertical slit, touching the heavy lashes on either side.

"Dark Lord," she hissed, showing grand fangs. One hand was wrapped around a tall trident, the handle carved with demonic creatures, skulls and symbols that glowed as her hand touched them. "I hear there is work to be done."

"Yes, Akada'Nsha? Is that the name you used?"

She laughed and a sparkle of gray covered her until the merqueen stood before him, "They never suspected a thing."

He smiled back, a devious mastermind of evil, this one.

"Tell me," he walked towards her as she took on her nymph form again, "Do you have any objection to killing a half-breed?"

"Half breed what?" she asked though she knew the answer.

"Part Fire, part Ice, part human," he said and she cocked her head to the side, cracked her neck and smiled, showering her fangs again.

"Hunting such a thing will be nothing but fun, Lord, I assure you my hunters will find it most enjoyable."

"Good," he nodded, "I do hope you bring back his bleeding heart."

She leaned against her trident, "I have no greater wish than that. Now tell me," she brushed past him and into the centre, "Where is the whore these days?"

"Julian is on the Hogwarts grounds as well but I have plans for him. Focus your energy on the Night Snow."

Lucius thought perhaps he was the only one to see the slight narrowing of her eyes. "I do hope you did not just tell me what to do."

"I-"

"Killing the half-bred Night Snow is a favor, from the kindness of my heart and the fact that it serves my purposes as well," her trident struck the ground with a deafening thud. "If Julian's death is convenient I will kill him. Do not think, Voldemort, that you are the only ruler who commands a fearsome army."

He nodded, unwilling to press her temper further, "Of course, Dread Queen Roua, I would not dream of it."

She nodded. "I should return to my colony. Remember your place or your life will be mine as well," she said and ran her thumb over one of the skulls. The eyes glowed white with the ghosts of thousands dead.

The fire expanded and let her through but died immediately to a trio of glowing embers.

Immediately two men fell to the ground, dead.

"What?" the Death Eaters near them gasped and backed away.

"The price of her visit," Voldemort waved it off, "Someone get them out of here."

"What should we do with them?"

"Send them to Hogwarts, as a gift."

**:Hogwarts School, 9 November:**

"What's that?"

"What?"

"Where?"

"Oh my god."

"What is it?"

Kids were standing at windows, point at the lake and shouting for others to look as well. A small boat floated across the icy surface laden by a pair of dark, indistinguishable figures. Julian and Azriel stood at a window, hanging out to try and figure out what the shapes were. Julian was throwing out some ridiculous ideas and getting annoyed looks from the Lord.

"Male strippers come to tease us with an aquatic strip down?"

Azriel felt the urge to hurl him out the window, not a strong urge but it was there.

"Ooh, giant fish for a cookout?"

"No."

"Okay…flank steaks from a magically altered cow…for a cookout?'

"Stop thinking about food Julian."

"I'm sorry but I did miss lunch because of you."

"It is not my fault you got yourself locked in a broom closet."

"Yes it is, you locked me in there."

"I surely did not," Azriel shook his head and, unwilling to hear anymore, hopped out the fourth story window and levitated himself to the ground.

"Dammit," Julian wrinkled his nose at him, "You overgrown cat."

"I'm not a cat," he yelled up as Dumbledore exited the front doors with Snape, Narcissa and Violet on his heels.

"What's going on here?"

"I have a bad feeling about those, whatever they are," Narcissa stopped walking she even took a step away from them.

"Mrs. Malfoy, don't be paranoid, I'm sure it's just a-"

"No," she stopped the Head Master, "I will be whatever I want. Those are dark things…"she closed her eyes and shook her head, "They are evil."

"Really, Narcissa, this is hardly the time for-"

Severus levitated them from the boat and onto the shore. He drew back the cloak on one but immediately put it back, "Albus," he hissed and the old man walked over. Severus lifted the hood just enough so he could see the doll-like mask stuck on a pale and bloated corpse.

"Oh my word," Albus covered his mouth, "Children," he looked at the windows, "Go back to class," he ordered and they scattered from the windows. Julian rushed out the front doors, slightly pink and worried looking.

"Let me see them," he went to the bodies, removed the masks and identified them. "They are Andrew Iris and John Udise, non-ranked nobodies, jobless, wifeless, childless; alone in the world."

"Then why did he send them to us?"

Severus drew his wand away from them, "They were not poisoned nor was the Killing Curse used. They did die unnaturally but from what, I do not know."

Narcissa drew closer, "The Queen of Death."

"What?"

Narcissa shook her head, reminding her that death was controlled by no one. The woman-esque thing was not the Queen of Death. "She rules the Death Nymphs, an ancient race originally trapped in a state between being living and dead. Over time they have come to be real, living beings and now kill in order to grow their armies. Any killed by the Death Nymphs loose their soul to dark magic and are left to follow the Queen as a mindless soldier. The muggle story of zombies has evolved from them, the Dead Army. She has no use for these two and so left their bodies but took all life. Most likely, since they are Death Eaters, she has recently had a dealing with the Dark Lord and these were the toll of her compliance."

Snape nodded, "The meeting last night, the one I was not called to, Lucius said she came and killed. Apparently, she disguised herself as the queen of the lake's merpeople in order to get a look at the layout of the grounds as well as the students. Dumbledore, this is serious."

"Roua does not need knives or spells to kill, she needs only to see them," Narcissa said, "The lives of everyone in the school are at stake."

"No," Azriel snarled, "She is after my life. Nymphs hate half-breeds like me and the Dark Lord will want me dead as well. I will fight her, Roua is nothing but a bully, she did not earn her power, she inherited it."

"Did not you get your power the same way?" Dumbledore asked.

Azriel whirled around, showed his fangs and snarled at the Head Master, "I inherited my genetics but I chose this path and I have spent my life learning about what I can and cannot do. Do not dare compare to that false Queen, if you ever do it again, I'll rip out your throat and cook it in a stew."

The old man backed away quickly.

"Run off you old bat," his teeth flashed and the man began to leave.

"Azriel," Julian went to his side, "Was that such a good idea?"

"Best idea I have had in ages."

"He'll evict you though," Julian said with a frown.

"I'll roast him in a Hawaiian themed festival," Azriel countered.

"Stop it," Narcissa quieted them, "We must destroy those."

Julian pointed his wand at them, "_Corpus Destruis_," and they were gone.

She gave him a 'look', "I meant in a proper burial."

"Their souls are gone, what need have we of such formalities?"

She let it drop and walked with Severus back to the main building.

"A cat am I?" Azriel asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"An overgrown cat," Julian clarified and began his own march back to the castle.

"Why do you say that?"

"You purr, for starters," Julian said, "And when I think of a cat, I think of you."

"That does not mean I am a cat; that means you have strange association patterns."

"_You _are a cat," Julian smirked.

"I am no more a cat than you are an owl."

"I would be a Screech Owl, actually," Julian corrected him.

"Strange bird, aren't you?" The half-breed crossed his arms.

"As strange as one like me can be," the Malfoy answered, "Though, no stranger than you."

**:Slytherin Common Room:**

"She's so cute," Pansy tickled the baby.

"I know," Draco was sitting with her in his arms and Heleen squealed happily, loving the attention. "You're mummy may be a whore but I think you're adorable."

The baby laughed happily, not understanding a thing.

Harry playfully smacked his blonde but received a playful smile in return.

Blaise and Ron were on one couch sharing a large mug of tea. Hermione and Theo, sharing another mug of tea, were on the couch opposite them with Harry, Draco, Heleen and Pansy on the couch in between.

"A-bwa-bwa," Draco bounced her a little, "I want one just like you."

Heleen squawked and made a spit bubble.

"That's gross," Blaise said with a smile.

"So are you," Draco stuck out his tongue, "She's my half-sister and I think she's cute."

"You think Indigo is adorable too," Theo pointed out.

"She is gorgeous," Draco snapped. "I'm so sad she's not allowed at school."

"You shouldn't be allowed in school," Theo mumbled and Hermione had to cover her mouth so she would not spray tea all over.

"Oh, ha ha," Draco mocked him, "If I were you I would pay more attention to my girlfriend than my best friend."

Theo made a strange noise and said nothing.

Blaise smiled, "Witty thing, isn't he?"

"Quite," Ron agreed sarcastically.

"How in the world did you make it so no one would come through here…I mean…so we three could be here and meet Heleen?" Hermione came to sit on Draco's other side.

"Pansy," He answered and handed her the baby, "She's very good at locking people in and out of places."

"Oh."

"Indeed."

* * *

**If you are unclear on the idea of Death Nymphs then say so and I'll explain it in a footnote at the end of the next chapter. If not then...don't worry about it.  
I introduced Heleen Bidelia Malfoy, I imagine her as a really cute baby even is Lucius is her daddy. I mean, Draco turned out cute, right?  
It's weird to think so much has happened in the story but it's still November...kind of strange. I'll start moving things towards the STORM BALL soon so we can see them dance and look gorgeous and snog all night. The Dark Lords plots will surface. Narcissa's intentions will become clear as well as the whole Julian/Azriel thing I find myself writing. I don't know if I want them to become just friends or more...do you guys want me to continue pairing everyone up or are they okay as friends? **

**THANK YOU SO MUCH!  
You are all so amazing, I've said it before but I'll say it again: I LOOOOOVE YOU!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	38. The Terrace and the Cave

**:Shag Terrace, 15 November:**

"Having fun?"

Blaise looked up to see Draco standing against the golden glow of the castle.

"I guess I am," Blaise made room for his best friend and Draco joined him. Draco lit a cigarette and inhaled, keeping his gray eyes on the Italian.

"What's wrong?"

"Am I doing the right thing?"

"How so?"

"With Ron…he hasn't even kissed me yet."

"Really?"

"I know," the shared a look, "I think it's sweet sometimes, when he holds my hand and just talks to me. I really think its cute and innocent and sweet and all that but Merlin, I'm a Slytherin and dammit if I need something more than just smiles and hugs and holding hands."

"You were so smitten with the idea of going slow."

"Well, three weeks is too slow."

"Some people go months before the first kiss."

"You and Harry hardly went two months before your first shower together."

"Which was not intended, people got up earlier than we expected and…shut up," Draco smiled and took a sip from the bottle Blaise was holding. "Shadowbrand Beer? Really Blaise it's only ten."

"I've got my vices, you've got yours."

Draco conceded that point and took a long drag off his cigarette, "You know, I'm not that upset about getting reformed."

"Scary," Blaise sipped his drink, "I can't say I'm supremely upset about it either."

"You'd think we were going soft or something."

They laughed until Blaise's smile fled.

"You should know, Drake, that I saw Sasha when I was in Italy."

"Oh?"

"He looks…good."

"Hmm, here I was hoping he had decayed into a mere shell of the man he once was."

"I was hoping the same but, no, he's the same Sasha…still followed by a trove of wide-eyed girls in short skirts."

"They're part of the package, part of who he is."

"I sort of wish he would roll over and die."

"It could be arranged," Blaise smiled, "You do have a roll-a-dex of people who know people who could make him, you know, roll over."

Draco laughed, "It is tempting but give him a year. Once the tabloids hear about Harry and I he'll fuck himself and then cry about how he 'could have been the one on the cover of every newspaper and tabloid in the world.'"

Blaise laughed too, "You think you and Harry are such big news?"

"Are you kidding? I'm Draconis Malfoy and he's the blood Boy Who Didn't Die, if we took a shit together it would be headline news."

"That could be awkward for you both."

"True."

"Drake."

"Yes?"

"Do you remember by second father?"

Draco thought hard and shook his head, "Can't say I do."

"Neither do I…"

Draco turned to look at his best friend with some concern, "Really?"

"I know…weird that I cannot remember the man who raised me…for a year, but still, I don't even remember what his face looked like. I hardly remember his name."

"He was French, right?"

"No, he was from Burgundy, wasn't he? He didn't call himself French if I remember correctly."

"No, your fourth father was from Burgundy, this one was from Paris."

"I distinctly remember a little discussion I had with him about the difference between the French and the Burgundy people."

"Then you had the discussion with Pierre Vestaure, not Jaque Lebau."

Blaise sighed, "Maybe, I can hardly remember anything anymore."

"You think it's a serious thing?"

"I hope not. I remember my birth father, sort of, as much as I ever have but that's because I think of him a lot. My mother says she didn't kill him; that she really did love him but I can't help but think otherwise."

"I don't think Desdemona killed him," Draco said and shrugged, "It seems like she really cared about him and that's not something I think she would sacrifice for money."

"I wonder sometimes."

"Blaise…she's your mum, she would not do that."

"I know I should trust her and be comfortable with letting her run free and all that but I'm not, I cannot just get over the fact that my father's dead and she's never really explained it to me. She didn't tell me how he died until I asked, she never told me his name until I asked, or showed me what he looked like. I cannot shake the feeling that something horrible happened to him…"

"Maybe you're trying to distract your thoughts from the more immediate matter," Draco pointed out.

"From Ron?"

He nodded and sipped from the bottle.

"I think I am."

"As I suspected," Draco turned to the Italian, "You cannot bring your mother under suspicion simply because you're distracted and upset about Ronald."

"That's true," he admitted, "I wish I could figure either one out."

"I know you'll think of something my dear."

Draco stood and brushed himself of. He offered the last of the cigarette to Blaise, who took it and inhaled deeply. "What do I do?"

"About Ron?"

"About Ron."

Draco thought for a moment, "Ask him."

"Ask him for what?"

"Whatever it is you want," Draco went to the doors and turned back to look at his best mate, "I know you'll think of an answer."

**:Azriel's Quarters:**

"Tell me, Julian," the half-breed asked, "What are you going to do with your life after the war?"

The Malfoy bit his bottom lip. He sat on the bed with his legs crossed and a small copy of Dracula in his lap. "Maybe I'll go back to Russia, maybe I'll just run into the night and never be heard from again. Either one is appealing."

Azriel glanced up from the ancient text and saw the former whore looking rather thoughtful.

"Really?"

"Sure," Julian marked his place and closed the book, "Russia is beautiful and, my god, to leave this petty hierarchy of middle-aged men would be heavenly. I wish nothing more than to never see my father again though I admit it will never happen. He has a habit of finding me, no matter where I am."

"He uses trackers or mercenaries," Azriel explained, "A common practice."

"I'm certain," he lay himself across the bed and then curled up a little.

"You call me a cat?"

"An overgrown cat," Julian added and sighed, "Vampires make me sleepy."

"Do not do it on my bed," the Night Snow stood to roll him off but Julian caught his wrist and pulled him down too.

The wrestled for a moment until Julian landed, pinned, on the floor.

"Now that you're off," Azriel let him go and climbed back up, "You may sleep."

"No fair," Julian pouted, hair going everywhere, "I'm not made for fighting."

"What are you made for?"

Julian thought for a moment, "Seduction, actually."

"Is that so," Azriel smirked, "I don't believe it."

"How do you think I survived so long living with the Dark Lord?"

"He liked you."

"Because I was good conversation? Stop lying to yourself, I'm a lover and that means I survive by shagging the more powerful people who decide whether or not I die."

"You cannot be a lover if it is not about loving. There must be some emotion involved if you're going to call it making love."

Julian shrugged, "I have never made sex where there were any emotions but a human need for sex. My emotions have always been desire to survive, that's all. I do what I must to make it, like anyone else."

Azriel leaned over the side of the bed and put his eyes directly in front of Julian's, "Find someone you love, until you do you are as inexperienced as a virgin."

Julian rolled his blue eyes, "And who do you suggest I take a liking to, hmm? There's a war about to start and after that it will become common knowledge what I was. In case you're unaware it's not an appealing characteristic to have been shagged by a half-human, soulless creature like him."

"I am half-human."

"I'm hardly trying to shag you though."

The Night Snow smirked, "Somehow I feel that is a lie."

Julian looked taken aback, "Why do you say that?"

He pointed to his perfectly shaped nose, "I can smell it on you."

"You can smell lies?"

"Indeed I can."

"How is that?"

"Talent."

"I doubt it."

"Oh?"

"Am I lying when I say I have never kissed a girl?"

"No, you're not. So much for the manly exterior you put up in front of the students."

Julian pouted, "Great, now that my secret is out I'll have to kill you."

"You could not kill me."

"That is a lot of confidence for someone entirely at my mercy."

"I am at _your_ mercy?"

"You are."

"Hardly," the Night Snow leapt at him and in a flurry of limbs they wrestled across the floor.

**:A Cave in South America:**

"Dread Queen Roua," the mercenary showed her sharpened teeth.

The nymph smiled, "My dear, you have been asked here because you are one of the best."

The mercenary nodded, "For such a compliment, I thank you."

"No need," Roua waved her hand and had a tray of black fruit brought in, "Kaiga?" she offered and the mercenary took one and cracked it open against the edge of the granite table. "There is a special project I have for you."

"Anything Great Queen."

"You are connected to Hogwarts, obviously, and I wish Azriel to be…" she searched for how to phrase it, "Given the opportunity to die."

"Oh?"

"Yes, lured into the open air or…perhaps better, the deep forest. My warriors wish for nothing more than to kill him and it something I wish too. Half-breeds like him should not exist and for that reason we wish to kill him. Now, if you could find a way for him and concubine to be, say, left alone in the night for a while, it would be most appreciated."

The killer nodded, "The payment?"

The Death Queen threw a small sack of diamonds across the table, "The rest will come when their souls are mine," she touched her staff, "Deal?"

After examining them the mercenary stood, "Deal." Professor Lucia Cuida drew back her hood and bowed, "Dread Queen, the next new moon will be your chance."

"Perfect," the nymph nodded and let the Spanish woman walk away.

**:The Grand:**

"Go!" Draco dashed out of the line of fire as third years set to work trying the leg-locking jinx on each other.

Blaise stood to the side crunching on a particularly ripe mango, his wand in hand and a slightly bored expression on his face. "Oi," he walked down the line of kids, directly between the dueling third years. He was not hit once though jinxes were flying around him. "You have to have this kind of flourish," he corrected one of them, "See?"

"Yeah, thanks Blaise," he smiled and tried again, more successful this time.

"Good," the Italian walked back through the field of spells and reached Draco again completely unharmed.

"If I tried that I would get hit."

"You're not me."

"Thank Merlin."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Means I would _much_ rather be me than you."

"Why?" he looked confused.

"Are you kidding? You're ridiculously incompetent sometimes."

"Excuse me for being unable to drive a stick shift up a hill in the snow with a drunken kid next to me and a cigarette in hand."

"I can do it, why can't you?"

"I'm not a Malfoy, that's why."

"You are highly un-Malfoy."

"We are aware, Draco. Now, how do we feel about going to dinner in Helsinki next Friday?"

"We feel that it is a good opportunity to introduce our boyfriends to our strange and special society of rich teenagers."

"Shall Theo and his newfound girlfriend join us?"

"Of course," Draco nodded, "Invite Pansy and…Julian may come if he wishes and bring the Night Snow."

Blaise raised his dark eyebrows, "Really?"

"It seems proper to bring along my cousin and the boy he is trying to bed."

"Your cousin is trying to shag the half-breed?"

"Obviously."

"I'm losing my sense of sexual tension, I had no idea," Blaise said and took another large bite from the mango.

"They're just subtle about it."

Blaise nodded, "Good, I would have been upset if it was just me."

"To Helsinki?"

"To Helsinki."

* * *

**Oh, how cool is that?**

**AMAZINGLY COOL!  
I'm sending them to Helsinki because it is the greatest thing to say Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki!**

**Woo!  
IMPORTANT NOTES:  
Last chapter got 30 reviews and that makes my heart palpatate! That's amazing, I'm real glad.**

AND  
I'm leaving on Sunday for Winthrop (UGH) but I may be able to bring a laptop and continue on with Chapter 39 and if there's internet I could update but maybe not :( Do not be disappointed it I can't update until the 11 or 12 of July. That's that.

LOVE  
FireStorm


	39. The Helsinki

**:Helsinki:**

"Pretty," Ron looked at the buildings lit by a golden sunset.

"How in the name of Merlin did we get the clearance to come here?" Julian asked, "Dumbl-bag has had the school on lock down since the bodies and your mother's gotten protective too. How did you convince them to let us out?"

"We didn't," Blaise said. He was walking next to Ron, holding his hand and admiring the old wizarding community.

"What?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"We are breaking about seventeen rules doing this," Draco said casually, "Nothing you lot have not done before."

"I-we're off campus…out of country even, without permission?" Hermione clarified again.

"Yes," Theo confirmed, "But don't worry, we're not so pivotal to the school's workings that we will be missed for a few hours."

"Ron and I were gone from twelve hours and no one noticed."

"That was two people," Pansy pointed out, "This is seven 6th years and two twenty-year old professors. We are more than _just_ out of country; we're off the island all together."

"Oh my god, we're going to be expelled for sure," Hermione ran a hand through her hair.

"No we are not," Draco assured her, "We've done far worse and not even received detention."

"But-but we're in Finland," she squawked.

"And?"

"That…that is a hundred miles from school, more than that-"

"Hermione," Ron smiled at her, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Are you aware that whenever those words are spoken things get incredibly bad?"

Ron shrugged, "Superstition."

"Fact," Julian said, "I just saw Lucius."

Draco immediately disappeared into a shadow, "Where?"

"He went into a shop on the right side of the road," Julian said, keeping his eyes on the spot, "We can circle the block and avoid him."

"Do it," Blaise followed the cousins into a side ally and onto a secondary street.

A trio of vampires stood in a circle near the door to a tavern while a goblin staggered down the street. "Brost vedanka," one of the vampires raised his glass to them in greeting.

"Vedanka," the Slytherins answered.

They continued down the street, staying to the sidewalk to avoid thestral drawn carriages rumbling past.

"Down here," Draco turned down an ally, "We're past the shop," he took a peak around the corner, "We are, good."

"Drake," Harry grabbed him and pulled him back into the ally, "Look." He pointed across the street to where Camille stood with the baby.

"Good catch," Julian patted his shoulder, "Come on, we can keep going down Vettra Street."

They returned to the secondary street and continued on their way, greeting vampires, hags, harpies and ogres alike.

"What does vedanka mean?"

"It is similar to saying 'hello' or 'good evening' in a less rigid social setting. In upper society places you say gahard or vrutka but never vendaka."

"Oh."

"Similar to how you never greet the Head Master with 'hey' you never say vendaka to Finnish purebloods."

"I get it," Ron nodded but the smile disappeared, "Why do they say it to you though?"

"Secondary streets," Blaise explained, "When you're here, no one is anything but an equal passer-by."

"So these streets are class-less?"

"Yes."

"I'm lost."

"It is very simple; main streets require segregated greetings but here everyone is equal and says vedanka."

"Not that hard, Ron," Hermione smiled and he shoot her an amused glare.

"Some don't adapt to new information very quickly Ms. Granger," a voice from behind spoke and the group whirled around.

Lucius stood before them dressed in formal robes and sneering at them, "Draco, what are you doing with these sorts?" He saw Azriel and Julian but did not speak to them. He kept his focus on his son, "Answer me Draco."

The blonde sneered back at his father, "We are going to dinner and a play," he explained, "Theo, Blaise, Julian and I all brought dates."

"Dates?"

"Dates," he repeated, "I brought my boyfriend," he reached out and took hold of Harry's hand. "If you are unhappy with it, talk to mum, she organized us."

"She what?"

"She got Harry and I together."

Lucius shook his head and glared, "If you do not end this, this affair right now I will disown you."

"You cannot disown me."

"Why do you say that?"

"If you do," he smirked, "Either Narcissa's son gets the fortune or Julian does."

Julian smiled and winked at the older man.

Lucius snarled, "Do not think you have it all figured out, dragon, there is Bidelia."

"You would not leave your fortune to a daughter if she were the last witch in the family," Draco countered, "She will not be a Malfoy when she is married, our history will be lost in that of some other family."

Lucius finally drew his wand, "I will kill you Draco, you are not so close to my heart as all that."

Azriel stepped forward, in front of the young snake, "If you even stupefy him I will cut of your wand hand and have it sent to your pretty little mistress as a birthday gift."

"Really Lord Snow, are you that uncontrollable?"

The Night Snow showed his teeth, "I am."

"I would have expected more from you," Lucius sneered and turned to Ron and Blaise. "I had hoped you would do you your father proud, Blaise, but you have failed him yet again."

Blaise glared, "I am not disgracing the Zabini name, I am not a slave to a loon, unlike you."

Lucius snarled, "No wonder he left your mother," he turned and left, disappearing into shadows.

"Bloody arse," Ron spat after him and felt Blaise's hand tighten in his, "You okay?"

"He's lying, right?"

Azriel glanced at Julian and the other Malfoy raised his eyebrows.

"Isn't he?"

They all went quiet and looked at each other for a moment.

"We don't know," Julian shrugged and made sure to walk next to the nymph as they continued down Vettra. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Was he lying?"

"No."

**:Rishha:**

"I love this place," Theo smiled as they were shown their seats. Thin maroon hanging created a tent around the low table and fluffy cushions the group sat on.

"It's gorgeous," Hermione agreed as a middle eastern woman appeared to take their drink orders.

"Waters all around and two pitchers of dark beer and tea, of course, honey and lavender," Draco said before anyone could speak.

"Of course Master Malfoy," she smiled at him.

"Thank you," he smiled back and she left. "What? We go here a lot, okay?"

"Sure," Harry smiled and felt a hand on his knee.

"So what's good here?" Julian asked while scanning the menu.

"May I suggest the duck?" someone said from the next table over, "It's magnificent."

Blaise swallowed heavily and drew back the curtain to see who it was though the mighty weight in his stomach told him he knew already.

There he was.

Tall, dark, gorgeous and groomed and suddenly started looking, "Oh, Merlin, I-I'm sorry I didn't know it was you, I-"

"Shut up," Pansy told him, "I thought you were going to school in Italy these days, not hanging around Finland."

He got slightly annoyed look on his face, "Are not you all going to school in England, that's not exactly walking distance from here."

Hermione and Harry, Azriel and Julian had no idea who this guy was but the others all knew quite well.

"You haven't changed at all," Draco said without even looking at him, he scanned the menu instead, "Still a childish, selfish brat who thinks he can play pureblood with the other kids."

"You're still playing too, I see, though now with muggle-borns and whores," he said with a sneer at the corner where Julian and Hermione sat.

"Say it again and you'll be tomorrow's special," Draco warned in a perfectly calm and unaffected manner, "How do we feel about roasted pork?"

"Don't try and ignore me Drake, I tried to apologize but you never replied. You know the kind of pressure I was under, I couldn't handle it, no one can…you're too much for anyone to handle."

Harry peeked out from where he was hidden by the hangings, "I'm doing quite well with him, actually."

He reeled backwards, "You're dating Harry Potter?"

"Have been for over a month now," Draco said and smirked, "Why?"

"I-I."

"You-you didn't think I could have ever a relationship after you? Thought I would waste away crying and snorting? You're more of an idiot than I thought," Draco said.

It soon dawned on Harry that this was Sasha. This undeniably gorgeous young man with foreign good looks and a rolling Italian accent, this was Sasha.

"I'm not stupid Draco, I'm smarter than most people, I got out before you turned me into a drunkard and druggie like you. Now you've gone after the Magical World's last hope in the war? This must be part of a plot you cooked up with your fa-"

"Excuse you," Azriel drew attention to himself, "Draco is not a Death Eater, no one here is, and if you insinuate again you'll be dealing with more than just the wrath of the Malfoy family."

"And who are you?" Sasha asked.

"Lord Snow," he said and showed the sharp teeth and Sasha's eyes went wide.

"The Snow family is dead," he said, trying to reason it out.

"Hardly," Azriel shook his head.

"Listen," Draco stopped them, "I'm well over you Sasha and it is about time you got over me. Let us alone to enjoy our meal and we won't bother you."

"I can't believe this," Sasha shook his head, "You cannot possibly think I'd let this go, not now-"

Draco got fed up, "Excuse me," he asked a passing waiter, "Please remove this man and his party immediately."

The waiter recognized him and nodded, "Of course Master Malfoy, right away," he glanced at Sasha and glared a little. "Sir, please leave now or we will be forced to remove you from the restaurant."

Sasha's jaw dropped but he stood and left, followed by a small clan of people.

"I am terribly sorry for any trouble he caused you sir, he and his friends are no longer welcome at Rishha."

"Thank-you," Draco said and graced him with a smile, "My friends and I appreciate it."

"Of course," he bowed and left.

"Perk of being a Malfoy," Blaise said to Ron who was floundering for words.

Draco shrugged, "I think roasted pork sound good and if we get it with the spicy sauce they give us a big bowl of rice and steamed vegetables."

"Perfect," Blaise smiled, "And a big bowl of pork soup and a plate of noodles and a big fat dish of fried lamb in almond sauce."

"Eat much?" Julian asked.

"I eat so much," Blaise said and smiled, "Oh and the bread and cheese starter platter."

"Fine," Draco set his menu aside just as their server returned with a large platter full of drinks.

"Master Malfoy, I heard there was a problem with another guest. I am terribly sorry," she said and set the waters on the table.

"Oh no, it has been resolved, thank-you," he said and she nodded.

"Have you decided?"

"Yes," Draco gave her the order and she left to notify the kitchen.

**:Three Hours Later:**

"Another round?" their server asked with a smile.

The food was long since eaten and they were sharing their fifth pitcher of dark ale.

"Nay, we should leave soon," Julian smiled and finished what was left in his glass.

"We should," Draco nodded, "The bill if you please."

"Oh," she smiled, "The manager says that your meal tonight is charge free, since you began your visit so unfortunately and he wishes to offer his deepest regrets that such an event occurred."

"Tell him we thank him for his kindness and generosity but I insist on paying for such a large meal. It would be rude to accept this."

"He insists," she said.

Draco smiled, "Again, thank him for me and tell him I promise to bring a large party here sometime this year and we will order far too much food and leave an overlarge tip."

She smiled, bowed and left to find the manager.

"What a sweet boy," Julian teased.

"I don't have friends all over the world for nothing," Draco smirked, "Let's go before mum gets too upset."

* * *

**This chapter finished and posted from Winthrop (WA for those asking). I'm proud of that.**

**I am halfway through writing the 40th chapter of this amazing fic. A chapter forever to be called "The Smut Interlude" a highly slashy piece written as a bribe. I'll explain that in the AN in 40 but the point is: no plot, all sex. Kay? Good. It should be up next week.**

**Who else is going to Pirates of the C(don't know of to spell it) 2? I am. I'm dressing up. It's already out but I'm going on Thursday like the untimely nerd that I am. If you see it, tell me if it is good or no, do not spoil please. Thanks, love you!**

**CHAPTER 40 will be M RATED for SEX between TWO BOYS. I will raise the rating when that chapter goes up, sorry if that angers you or anything. I doubt you'll lot be mad about boy/boy acion. (wink wink nudge nudge)**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	40. The Smut Interlude

**THIS CHAPTER HAS A STRONG M RATING!  
Chapter 40 (Hazah!) was written as a bribe. At my friend Jenny's 17th birthday we were approached to dance on a dugout during the change between innings. It's a little game that happens at the game and in order to make her do it I offered to write a SMUT CHAPTER. That's what this is. **

**There is nothing of consequence to the plot so if you're squimish with smutty things then skip this and 41 will be up in about a week. **

**Thanks  
FireStorm**

**

* * *

**

:19 November:

"Oh my god," Draco sighed and squirmed with a pleased smile on his face.

"It won't feel as good if you keep wiggling around like that," Harry smiled at the expression on the blonde's face.

Draco made a small noise but stopped moving.

"How's that?" Harry tried something new and Draco groaned.

"Perfect," he managed.

"I don't know what you do to make your back hurt so much," Harry said and continued to massage his boyfriend.

"I can think of something," Draco gave the boy wonder a look.

"Can you?"

"I can," he said, "I do a lot of getting thrown against walls and snogged and that's just not good for my back."

"When did I last throw you against a wall?"

"Oh…maybe that wasn't you…" Draco giggled when Harry's eye twitched.

"Bugger," Harry stopped.

"Ah," Draco rolled over onto his back, "What was that for?"

"For being mean to me," Harry crossed his arms.

"Aw," Draco sat up and swung his legs over the side of the table, "Don't be mad," he reached out and took hold of Harry's face and brought him in for a kiss.

"Still mad," Harry said.

"How about now?" Draco wrapped his naked legs around the boy wonder and drew his body close.

Harry turned beet red and stuttered as the bare chest of the Malfoy heir pressed against his.

"How about now?" Draco reached his arms around Harry's neck and pulled the taller boy down for a kiss. Their lips touched and immediately Draco's lips parted to let his tongue sweep over Harry's bottom lip. Harry opened his mouth and uncrossed his arms, sliding his finger tips down the pale chest before him and around the sides to trace down the other boy's spine to where the sheet was tangled low on his hips.

Draco's tongue was dancing over Harry's and running over the ridges on the top of his mouth. Harry felt the long, lean legs tighten around his waist and press him harder against the edge of the table. The same table the blonde was about to fall off.

Draco ran a hand through the lion's mane and the other crept below his collar to ghost over the flesh on his back. Harry groaned as his arousal grew.

"Drake, should we stop?"

"Bugger that." He answered breathily and kissed the Boy Wonder again, harder this time.

Harry agreed with the sentiment and crawled onto the table as the blonde moved backward. Draco lay down and Harry followed his lips until he was over the snake, breathing heavily. Draco tightened his legs around Harry's waist and brought him down. The sheet slid off and left nothing between them, save Harry's clothes.

"This is a bit unfair," Draco pointed that out and Harry pulled off his shirt.

Harry looked at the unblemished white skin, the long torso and legs, the gracefully curved neck and small pink nipples that grew erect when he played with them.

"You're gorgeous," he realized vocally.

"You think so?" Draco smiled.

"You are," Harry looked up from the body and was met by the sweet, bright gray eyes he saw every morning across the hall. Close up they were touched by fragments of blue and black and they were amazing. He had seen them before but this, this was different. Draco was glowing and he was gorgeous.

Draco heard the tone to his lion's voice and blinked at him, "You sound like this is a new thought."

"It's a different kind of gorgeous, Draco," Harry sat up, "Draco, you're perfect."

Draco sat up with him and blushed, "Thank-you, Harry, I-I can't think of anything to say…" There was something about the way Harry was talking, the awe and honesty to his voice that made Draco feel warm and fuzzy all over.

Harry smiled, "Let's go somewhere…more beautiful," he smiled and slid off the table.

"Where?"

"Just shut up and follow me."

They walked through the castle, turning, climbing and descending stairs at a rapid pace. "Where in the name of Merlin are we going?" Draco asked as they reached a long hall of frilly, feminine tapestries.

"You will see," Harry answered vaguely and led him down the hall.

"I may be sick," Draco commented and eyed one of the tapestries. A pink and white and lace creation spotted with elves, fairies and dancing girls in pretty gowns. They smiled at him and waved and danced around some more.

"I know it's gross, Drake, just hold on," Harry got him to the end of the hall, "We're here."

"At a wall?"

"Sick," he said and the bricks rearranged themselves into an arching doorway.

"The password to this 'beautiful' place is sick? Sick?" Draco asked as he was led through and into a circular room. "Post script, this is not beautiful, this is round."

"Until I say Gold," Harry said and the bricks in the walls and floor spun around to reveal a warm night at a fountain. The marble statue of Apollo and the small cobblestone walkway touched on either side by dark green grass sprinkled in rose petals and lavender.

"Pretty," Draco smiled, "This is…so unreasonably gay. Harry, look, this is gorgeous and we should eat dinner here some time but I'm not about to shag you here. That goes beyond my boundaries and well into Blaise's territory."

Harry laughed, "All right, where then?"

Draco got an evil look, "I think that hallway needs to get a little less innocent."

"You're wicked," Harry followed him back into the hall and immediately the snake had him against the newly created wall. His lips were covered and the breath sucked out of him. Harry regained his senses and fought back, grabbing the sheet and pulling it away. The lion was shirtless but now his boyfriend was completely exposed and Draco felt the cold of the castle against his legs and back. Draco left the warm lips to find warmer habitat down south. His pale pink lips trailed over the collar bone and onto a chest and as he lowered himself down the heat coming off the other boy grew until it was burning.

Harry's hands reached out to clutch at anything but the wall was smooth and gave nothing. He leaned against it for support as the long hands undid his belt but a skilled mouth took over to undo his button and pull down the zipper.

That noise pierced his consciousness and hit a button somewhere within him that let all reservations get swept away in a tide of heat.

Draco slid the trousers down and off.

"Hot, Potter?" he asked with his designated drawl.

Harry could only groan in response.

"Come again?" Draco asked to tease him.

"I haven't come the first time," Harry felt himself go weak in the knees as Draco slid up until they were face to face, pressed flush against each other.

He smiled, "Clever, I must rubbing off on you."

"Enough with innuendoes," Harry stopped him before a battle of sex-wit ensued.

"My pleasure," the blonde slipped back down with his hands trailing after him until he was squatting before the Boy Wonder. Draco hooked his thumbs in the waist band of the boxer-briefs and slid them down so slowly it was painful for both of them.

"You've seen my nude before-"

"Not with the intention of shagging you I haven't," Draco reminded him.

Harry moaned as the cold air hit his arousal and a warm breath followed it. Lips touched the tip and Harry's knees shook violently again. The lips slid further down and tongue came to licked the tip and let it pass as more of Harry slid inside the blonde. Harry took a few deep breaths, trying to control himself as this new experience tore through him. Hands slid over his lower abdomen and thighs and ghosted over areas soon after covered by lips. Draco took his entire length and then moved back, playing his tongue along the under side of his cock.

Harry's hands found pearl colored hair to hold onto and he looked down for a moment to see that perfect boy all over him and it made his mind go crazy. He was proud that Draco liked him this much; he was happy they were making progress but mostly he was hot and hardly able to control himself.

The snake began to play with his balls and trails his fingers over the lower part of Harry's member. It got to him. Fast.

Harry felt it coming and could not stop himself from grunting and gasping as he came within Draco for the first time.

"Oh my god," he sank down the wall as Draco let go of him.

"Alive?"

"Very much so," Harry grinned stupidly.

"Good, this wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable if I had accidentally killed you."

"Best way to die though," Harry smiled and got a smirk out of Draco.

Draco stood and wrapped the sheet around his shoulders, "Come away with me."

"Where?"

Draco thought for a moment, "No idea."

Harry stood too and Draco pulled him close and wrapped the sheet around him too, "Warm."

Harry put his arms around Draco and smiled into the crook of his neck, "Yeah."

"I thought I heard something," a voice carried through the halls towards them.

"Shite, it's Sev," Draco pushed Harry against the wall, "Get us through!"

"What about my uniform?" Harry hissed and pointed at the scattered clothes.

"Just go, go," Draco tried to push through the wall while Harry grabbed at the jumper and trousers.

"What is that?" Snape's voice sounded closer.

"GO!" Draco hissed and Harry snatched a shoe before saying the password. They fell through and rolled away so the portal could close again.

Snape came around the corner. He glanced at the hangings and saw maidens and cute fluffy animals looking embarrassed, awkward and generally lost looking. He quirked an eyebrow and looked to the end of hall. A tie, two socks, a shoe and a shirt were scattered on the ground. Snape felt his temple pulse and he quickly turned and left.

On the other side Draco was laughing, it was sort of a panicked laugh but a laugh none the less. Harry was laying on top of him and laughing too. The arms around his shoulders slackened as the laugh took over.

Harry rolled off the other boy and smiled, "Way to go Malfoy."

"Shove off Potter," Draco rolled on top of him and straddled him. His hands rested on Harry's chest and he smiled down at him, "I win."

"Oh?"

And they wrestled across the floor, laughing and squealing (well, Draco squealed). Eventually Harry had Draco against the wall, hands trapped above his head.

"I win."

"Hardly," Draco smirked. He lifted one leg, wrapped it around Harry's hips and pulled up flush against him. Draco ground his hips against Harry's and the lion immediately loosened his grip and moaned.

"That's not fair, you can't use sex," Harry managed as the heir kept using him.

"What sex? This is just seduction," Draco whispered into Harry's ear and liked the spot just below. "This," his hand wandered down and cupped Harry, "This is slightly more sexual," and he kissed Harry hard on the lips and broke away.

Harry groaned and pressed his chest to Draco's, "What, uhm," his brain stalled and started but nothing made sense. Thankfully Draco understood.

"You want to know how far we're going?"

Harry nodded and gasped as the hand began moving up and down.

"Hmm," Draco hummed and pressed his erection against Harry's, "All the way?"

Harry closed his eyes and nodded.

"Exciting," Draco's tongue slid out and found a pulse and he sucked on it. He bit, making Harry whimper but he kissed it and smiled into Harry's neck. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Harry's hands moved from Draco's hips around to his back and one traveled down to his ass.

Draco lost himself in that feeling of Harry rubbing against him and his hands all over him.

Soon enough he was facing the wall, hands splayed out and Harry was pressed against his back, breathing heavily and preparing him. Draco's brain stopped working when Harry slid inside. The pain was a good one and the hand on his cock, moving with the rhythm of thrusts drove him insane.

It was over a half-hour later when neither could keep from cumming that they parted and laid out on the floor, breathing heavily and covered in sweat.

"That-that was," Harry had to pause and breath a few times, "Amazing."

Draco just smiled and covered himself and Harry with the sheet. He laid his head on Harry's chest and fell asleep.

* * *

**The Afterword:**

**My review of the movie:  
I saw Pirates of the C 2 and liked it quite a bit. I dressed up as a pirate wench and nearly rumbled with a couple girls who were (apparently) offended by me or something. I have no idea about that. The movie: there were some shots that were so pretty and artisitic and the movie was, visually, spectacular. Lots of interesting things and a good plot. There were a lot of motives and they overlapped well, but I felt too many people really wanted too many things all at once. Captain Jack was a little less Captain Jack-ish, I thought, but still a wonderful character. Will was a sissy, Davy Jones was really good but what was his accent? It was sometimes Irish and sometimes something else entirely. That was strange. I'm not a fan of movies that end like that; where not seeing the next one would make your head explode. The first one can stand alone but this one absolutely requires sequel and that's dumb, methinks.**

Okay  
LOVE  
FireStorm


	41. The Contorsion

**:6th Year Gryffindor Boy's Room:**

"Where's Harry?"

Ron looked up from Quidditch Weekly.

"I don't know, I haven't seen him in ages," Dean said and shrugged.

Neville continued what he was doing, trying to ignore the two boys.

"Ron?" Seamus turned to him and raised his thick eyebrows.

"What?"

"Where's Harry been all year?"

"Around," Ron shrugged, "Remember that he had to spend a while in the hospital wing 'cause of the attack on the train and…he's been busy with classes and everything. Harry still sleeps here and eats with us."

"I guess," Seamus shrugged, "It's November now and he's hardly around it seems."

Ron focused on the page in front of him, "Maybe he's found something better to occupy his time."

Dean and Seamus exchanged a look, "Like what?"

Ron refused to say anymore.

"Is Harry going steady with someone?"

Nothing.

"Come on Ron, who is it?"

Nothing.

"A Gryffindor?"

"No, we'd have heard about it," Dean said and Seamus nodded.

"A Ravenclaw then?"

Nothing.

"Hufflepuff?"

Nothing.

"A Slytherin?"

He blinked.

"Harry's dating a Slytherin!" Dean and Seamus jumped at him and grabbed his magazine away. "Who?"

"Who!"

Ron shook his head. "You guys are wrong he's not-"

"Parkinson?"

"Bulstrode?"

"Ugh!"

"Who?"

Ron tried to escape but Dean pulled him back. "Tell us!"

"No, I can't, it's no one, he's not dating anyone, I didn't say anything like that," Ron shook his head violently and tried to worm his way out of this.

"Yes you did!" Seamus grabbed him and throttled him, "Tell us promptly!"

Ron stopped mid-motion, "Did you just use the word promptly?"

Dean gave the Irishman an odd look too.

"Shut up and tell us!"

Ron pressed his lips tight together and shook his head again.

"Come on!"

Neville took a seat on his bed and watched the three fighting and yelling. He bit his bottom lip, "Hasn't Harry been shooting weird looks at Malfoy?"

Seamus and Dean whirled around, examined Neville for a half-second and then turned back to wide-eyed Ron. "Is it true?"

Ron shook his head.

"It's true," Dean said and he and Seamus backed away, stunned, and sat on the floor. They stared straight ahead with their mouths open wide and hardly breathing.

"Mother of Merlin," Seamus muttered.

"Holy…bloody hell," Dean shook his head.

"No, I didn't say that. It's not-I mean, they're not, no, looks don't mean-why can't…" Ron trailed off and sighed heavily, "You cannot tell anyone."

"I can't believe Harry's dating one of them."

"The Prince Git of them," Seamus added.

"He's not that bad you guys," Ron said and immediately regretted it.

"Do you fancy one of them?"

"I-what? Where'd you get that idea?"

"Come on Ron," Seamus put his face right in front of Ron's and stared hard into his eyes, "Who?"

"I-"

"Hey guys," Harry walked in and stopped dead, "Ron…what's going on?"

"They know Harry and they're trying to figure out who I…fancy."

"They know what?" He asked.

"That you're dating Malfoy," Dean said.

"Oh, that," Harry nodded and smirked, "He and Blaise Zabini are an item."

"That Italian fellow?" Seamus asked and backed away.

"Yeah," Ron nodded and shot Harry a look.

"You told them about Draco and me," Harry pointed out.

"Hey, they inferred things and I wouldn't say anything but Neville said you'd been shooting Draco looks and they assumed it and now you've gone and given us both away for sure," Ron crossed his arms.

Harry laughed, "Damn, our secret is out, now we'll have to run off and elope."

Seamus and Dean laughed out loud but Ron just pouted.

"Are you that serious with Malfoy?" Neville asked.

Harry had not realized he had mentioned marrying Draco until just then and he considered it for a moment with the four boys watching him with interest, "I don't know. I mean, we're serious and we care a lot about each other and we're happy but I just…I don't think we know each other well enough, even after all this time there's something weird there that's making us distant from each other. I don't understand it but I guess we're both still worried about the other turning back into that kid we were in fifth year and betraying the other…maybe that's why we haven't really talked about our pasts or…connected that way."

Seamus nodded, "Aye, I know what you mean."

"How?"

He shrugged, "I know what it's like to know someone but still feel like you don't know them at all and not in the good way. It's like, there's a good sort of not knowing someone, like they keep surprising you, and there's the kind where you feel like they don't really let you in."

"That's what I feel with Draco," Harry nodded.

"Blaise tells me things but only if I ask, maybe Drake's the same way."

"What all do you know about that guy?"

Ron shrugged, "I know about his childhood and his mum and growing up with Draco and all his homes and he talks about his favorite vacations and places he's been and we talk a lot about family and what that means and our friends and just being a kid in recent times."

"You're kidding, right?" Harry laughed, "Blaise has conversations like _that_ with _you_?"

"He can be mature when you get him alone."

Harry grinned, "I hardly believe it."

"Believe what you want."

"How'd that happen anyway?" Dean asked. "You and the Italian I mean."

Ron shrugged again, "He was friends with Mione and then…we just connected and fell for one another."

"Connected the same way Harry is concerned that he and Draco don't?"

"Maybe," Ron glanced at Harry, "I feel like he trusts me and he isn't worried about making me remember he's upper class and loaded. He relaxes and acts like any other wizard would and that's really nice. He's so real and so raw and I am too and I he makes me think but in a good way."

"That's really quite cute," Dean said and Ron blushed.

"We get each other."

"Awww," Seamus cooed, "You going to ask him to the Storm Ball?"

"I did, back at the end of October."

They glanced at Harry.

"Yes, I asked him," and he pulled on a jacket. "It's dinner soon, we should go down if we want to eat."

Seamus and Dean stood and pulled on jackets too since the castle was getting cold. Neville copied the action but Ron sat on his bed for another minute.

"You three aren't mad at us, are you?"

They stopped and looked at Ron then looked to Harry and back.

"No," Seamus answered, "It's a bit odd that you wouldn't tell us but I can see why you didn't. I'm glad we know and you can trust us not to spread it around or anything. We're not mad Ron," he repeated, "I'm proud you finally came 'round."

"Yeah," Dean laughed, "How long did it take you to ask him out?"

Ron stood and grabbed one of the sweaters his mother knitted him, "Once I kissed him I walked him back to Slytherin and asked him then."

"That quick?" Neville asked, "I'd never be confident enough to ask someone out that soon."

"Why not?"

"Scared I guess," he said as they walked down the stairs.

Harry smiled, "All you have to do is remember that if someone's spending that much time 'round you and is close enough for you to fancy them, there's a good chance they fancy you."

Neville smiled his gap-tooth smile at Harry, "Thanks mate," and he smiled at the three other boys.

"There you are," Hermione was standing in the middle of the common room, "I thought you hens would never stop clucking."

"We confide in each other," Harry said, "It's good for morale during these hard and trying years." He threw an arm around her shoulders and she shrugged him off with a smile.

"You're nearly as bad as Lavender and Parvati," she said walked out the portal.

"Hey," they pursued her, "We're not that bad."

She just shot them a smirk.

**:Head Table:**

"Good evening Professor Cuida," Narcissa nodded to the Spanish woman and she smiled in return.

"Evening Lady Malfoy," she said and took her seat.

Azriel yawned and scratched at his white blonde hair.

"Tea?" Julian stumbled into the seat next to him.

Azriel pointed to it and Julian groped blindly, still hardly awake.

"Why are you two so tired?"

Azriel and Julian turned and looked at Lady Malfoy for a silent moment then glanced at each other:

**:Last Night:**

"I can't bend like that."

"Come on," Azriel urged, "Just get your hand over there."

"Merlin, how do people do this one?"

"It doesn't look that hard."

"Wanker," Julian grumbled and moved a little, "I don't bend that way!"

"Yes you do," Azriel reached out and moved his hand.

"OW!" Julian collapsed, "No, we're never trying that again."

"Can't take a little competitive contortion?"

"None at all," Julian sat up and crossed his legs, "I hurt all over."

"Come here," Azriel motioned to him from the bed.

Julian walked over and stretched himself out, half on the Night Snow.

"What's wrong with you?"

Julian lifted his heavy head and stared at the Lord, "Not sure, a bad feeling, a warning."

Azriel nodded, "Something is about to go horribly wrong."

Julian agreed, "When do you feel it?"

"Head table, during meals, one of them is a traitor."

"I can," Julian grumbled, "It's the Spanish whore who's gone and buggered us all."

"How do you figure that?"

"She's been proposing a 'outing' into the forest recently and since you're an inhuman she thinks you should go and 'talk to the wild things' and I should tag along as your keeper. She suggested we take a select group of sixth and seventh year students as part of their Care for Magical Creatures course and Defense lessons."

"It sounds like a good idea."

"Aye, if you're setting a trap to get us killed."

"Would we be going it alone?"

"We'd be escorted by her," Julian sneered.

"And she would somehow disappear from behind us with the students," Azriel said and snorted, "Predictable. Does she forget I can track anything, anywhere?"

"I expect she did," Julian sneered, "She also forgot that she used to serve The Dark Lord occasionally and as his key whatever I was, I knew about everything. I heard about her kills and how she did them and where and for how much."

"You think the Dark Lord is after us?"

"I'm fairly certain it's someone a little less…agreeable."

Azriel frowned and counted off people who had him on their "To Kill" list: Dark Lord, Head Fire Nymph, Head Ice Nymph, Dumbledore, that nun, the Queen of England, and the Death Queen. Of all of them, the only one less agreeable than the Dark Lord was Roua. "So you think the dread queen is coming for us?"

"Probably as a favor to the Dark Lord or worse, for her own enjoyment. Have you ever met her?"

"A few times, at gatherings and large social events, she's a frightening beast of a woman."

"I can only imagine," and Julian laid back down and sighed into the warmth of the half-breed's chest.

Azriel felt the conversation should continue but the almost-nuzzle he just for from the Malfoy made him go quiet. Azriel had only had one relationship, his mate, and that was for breeding purposes and pride. The girl, a purebred fire nymph, was pretty and sought after and a way to earn respect in the tribe. She had three children and left them with her sisters before they came back to Europe. She died and he had, in fact, grown rather fond of her and the idea of having someone around, especially after so many years away from all other life. That was not this, Julian was not a prize or a mate or simply a someone to have around. He commanded attention and care and a certain flexibility to match his moods and whims. That was what worried the half-breed, feeling anything for the other heir, for the former concubine to the Dark Lord, actually feeling emotions like that. He had read about and heard about them for years, love and passion and lust, but to him they were abstract thoughts and ideas…until now.

* * *

**And we return to the plot!  
Less exciting, I know but utterly necessary.**

I just read an extremely sweet anonymous review and it makes me remember how much I truly adore all the fans of this fic. I just had a fan add me as a myspace friend (HI!) and my heart sores for such things. It's so great to know you're all real!

Besides that I have noticed my AN's have gotten really mundane.

**Draco: Yes, they have.**

**Harry: She was focusing on plot and slash, no need to worry.**

**Blaise: Where's my smutty scene?**

**FireStorm: We need to get past Ron's insecurities first.**

**Ron: I HAVE NO INSECURITIES! I'm just not a slut.**

**Blaise: And I am?**

**Ron: No-I-uhm-I mean, we-uh, you...**

**Draco: Suckaaa!**

**Harry: Be nice.**

**Draco::pointing to himself: Ice Prince, in case you forgot. I'm not nice, I'm meeean!**

**Harry: Hardly, you're a fluffy little bunny.**

**Bernard: Like me!**

**Draco: I may inspire plot bunnies but I am not one.**

**Harry: Suuuure**

**FireStorm: Excuse me but are you aware that Ron and Blaise have utterly vanished?**

**Draco: Oh bugger.**

**Harry: What?**

**Draco: I think they've been dragged off into her :points to FireStorm: mind to make a smut scene.**

**Harry: Let's go too!**

**Draco: Ugh, I'm so exhausted, I mean, Merlin Harry we just did it last chapter.**

**Harry: What? Tired? You, Draco Malfoy, need to work out more. I happen to have the perfect form of exercise for you.**

**Draco: What? NO!**

**Harry::Picks up the blonde and disappears into FireStorm's brain:**

**FireStorm: AH! Not on the new carpet!**

**LOVE  
Your Author**


	42. The Canoodleing

**:A new Unknown Location:**

"Tell me something," the Dark Lord was agitated, "How is it you've survived this long?"

The Death Eater shuffled a foot back, as if it would help, "My Lord, I am sorry, I did not-it was a mistake and it shall never happen again."

"Indeed," he lifted his wand and in a flash of green the man was dead, "Send him to Roua, she can use him for…something."

The body disappeared and the Dark Lord was left with nothing much to do.

Until Lucius arrived with his daughter.

"Hello Bidelia," the Dark Lord stood and held out his hands to be offered the girl. Lucius gave her over, looking perfectly confident, except to Snape who could see the worry in his eyes.

Voldemort seated himself again, the girl in the crook of his arm. She smiled at him and reached out her hand as if to touch him. He seemed amused by this and offered a long, bony finger for her to grasp.

"She's a sweet girl, Lucius," he said but it seemed less like a compliment and more like a plan forming, "Has she met her half-brother?"

"She spent the day with Draco a few weeks ago," he said, "He is moderately fond of her."

"Good," he withdrew his hand and picked up his wand, "We'll see how she plays into our big plans."

Lucius nodded, "Anything, my Lord," he assured the older man and stepped forward as if to take his daughter back again.

"Where is her mother?"

Lucius stopped moving and blinked twice before answering, "Camille is gone to Milan, to visit her sisters."

"It is odd that a new mother would not bring her darling daughter along."

"Bidelia is old enough that she does not need her mother for feeding anymore, Camille is no longer part of her life."

"I see, and Chael's father?" His red eyes moved to where Snape stood by a side door.

"Because his father is pureblood and a friend of the family, he will remain in his son's life. Camille is not so close to us or Narcissa, especially."

The Dark Lord tensed at her name, "How is your dear wife?"

"Narcissa is…stable and her classes are going well, she says. Draco is doing excellently as are the other young children. She is due in February, just three months from now, and Chael is expected to be a strong, healthy child."

"Who would have thought?" the Dark Lord smirked at Severus, "A healthy son for the Potion's Master."

Severus nodded as if the joke were not a rude one.

**:The Parlor, 4 December:**

"I hate small children," Ron grumbled and waved his wand at the half destroyed couch and it repaired itself. The First and Second year snakes and lions had left for dinner, grinning at their progress and talking about Friday's lesson.

Blaise was sitting in front of the fire, warming himself from a stray Freezing Charm and eating watermelon. The Italian looked away from the flames and towards his fire-haired boyfriend, he smiled at that, and nodded, "Their aim is wretched."

Ron walked over and sat down next to his boyfriend, "You poor thing, looked half-dead by the time I revived you," he put an arm around Blaise's waist and rested his head on his shoulder.

"I'm still freezing," he muttered and speared a hefty chunk of fruit.

Ron noticed his comfort food and wondered to himself what was going on.

Blaise was cold, Blaise was hungry, Blaise was also very sexually frustrated. Blaise Ridex Zabini had never been sexually frustrated in his life. He had never had a boyfriend for a month without kissing him. He had never had a boyfriend for a week without kissing him…come to think of it he had hardly gone a week without shagging prior to this.

The look of combined annoyance, exhaustion and deep thought prompted Ron to vocalize his question, "What's wrong?"

Warm eyes traveled from the fire to the big blues gazing at him in question and Blaise looked back to the fire, hoping for a diversion. Nothing came for a moment and Blaise resigned himself to facing the issue.

"Why won't you kiss me?"

"What?"

"We've been together a month Ron, longer than that and you have yet to kiss me."

Ron was stunned into silence and he thought about it.

"Ron?"

He sighed, "I thought we agreed to go slow."

Blaise turned so they were face to face, "Yes, slow, but that means there's still movement. We have no movement, we're in the same place. Ron," he stopped the lion before he could speak, "I'm trying to be understanding but Merlin, I need something."

Ron bit his bottom lip, "I guess I understand, I just-I only ever kissed Hermione a few times and this is totally different. You're so different and I have no idea what I'm doing and…I don't know, I didn't want to mess it up or anything."

"Love," Blaise smirked, "You won't mess it up."

Ron lay down, lacing his fingers together beneath his head and staring at the flowery ceiling. "I like to think that but I-I can never be sure."

Blaise rested his head on Ron's chest and smiled at him, "If you're involved, and I'm involved I doubt it can be anything but fine," he said, "And I know that I shouldn't push you, this being your first non-het relationship and everything but…I can't wait forever. I can be good but I'm not patient like Theo."

Ron nodded, "I'm glad you finally said something Blaise."

"I am too," the Italian smiled and nuzzled his chest, "Comfy."

"Thank-you, I'm glad to be of service."

Blaise yawned and stretched and felt Ron's hand playing with his hair, "What are we going to do about the Ball?"

"The one in ten days?"

"That one."

"Drake has decorations coming, I called the Twitching Tigers and we have a house elf catering service bringing in storm themed foods."

"What kind of decorations?"

"Dark grey with lightning and wind and rain, we're charming the ceiling and it's going to be both scary and elegant."

"First Years going to wet themselves?"

"Probably."

"I'm excited," Ron smiled, "What am I going to do?"

"Grunt work with Harry, Vince and Greg," Blaise grinned.

"Oh, great."

"What? You expected Draco and me to do it? We're too fragile," Blaise's grin widened as Ron laughed.

"Fragile like a great, big, unbreakable thing," Ron said and Blaise promptly tickled him.

**:Severus' Quarters:**

"You promised to bring Sirius back?" he asked for the hundredth time. "How?"

Narcissa was stretched across his bed, her womb swelling with child, it was only three months until she gave birth and she was tiring more easily.

"I'll think of something," she said and yawned.

"You look like a small cat," he said and she opened one blue-ish eye and smiled at him.

"You look like a stressed Potions Master," and one corner of his mouth rose in a smile, "I apologize for my comparison being less adorable than yours."

He stood, setting aside his glass of scotch and sat beside her on the bed. Her arms moved and played with the hem of his shirt, untucked after a day of teaching.

"You should sleep," he told her and those eyes rose to smile at him, playfully.

"But then, dear Severus, who will keep you smiling?"

In a moment of sweetness he leaned down and kissed her temple, "You make me smile even while incapacitated."

She cooed and kissed him and then rested her head on his pillow.

**:Draco's Room:**

"No, no I'm ticklish!" Draco squirmed to get away from the black haired beauty that held him.

"You're just squirmy," Harry insisted and pressed his lips to Draco's freckle and the Ice Prince squealed and wiggled away, right off the edge of the bed. Harry laughed and leaned over to the his blonde still squirming, feeling the ghosts of Harry's fingers on his skin.

"You're a jerk," he said and scrunched his nose.

"Merlin you're adorable," Harry lowered his top half off the bed and pressed a kiss to the pale lips below him.

"Not adorable," Draco correct, "Wickedly sexy."

"That too," Harry admitted and kissed him again, "Mostly adorable though."

Draco smiled and sat up, "What do you want to do today?"

"It's nearly dinner," Harry said, he and Draco did not have to teach lower years that night and had spent two hours rolling around in Draco's bed, talking and laughing and snogging. "We should eat."

Draco leaned his head to the left, "I know what I want."

"What is that?"

"You," Draco crawled back onto the bed and on top of the lion.

"Oh?"

The blonde nodded and smiled, "Just," he slid a hand under Harry's shirt, "Like," the shirt came off entirely, "This," and lips slid down his neck and left wet little kisses on his chest and collar bone and down to his navel. Draco kissed the trail of hair from his navel leading to Harry's arousal. He loved the scent of the lion; warmth, earth, coffee and fire smoke and his skin was soft and scarred but Draco loved each one and each inch he found he explored with finger tips and kisses. Harry looked down to see the pretty little snake kissing his hip and he groaned as Draco's shirt disappeared and the young snake's warm skin pressed against his.

"I'm so hungry though," Harry managed and Draco smirked at him.

"Too damn bad," Draco kissed him and Harry rolls his eyes, giving himself up to Draco's games. He decided that dinner in the kitchens is a small price to pay for a warm snog and grope session with his favorite male.

**:Great Hall:**

"Where's our fearless leader?" Seamus asked.

Ron, who had only just arrived, shrugged, "Probably still enjoying his night off with the blonde kid he likes so much."

Dean, Neville, Ginny, Seamus and Hermione laughed.

Hermione glanced across the hall at her snake and another smile rose from her. Theo was reading again, a book on herbology, and eating potatoes. He got an elbow in the rib from Pansy and looked at her, questioningly, before getting an explanation. She wanted to know how the Ball was coming. He informed her that it was coming along well enough though her organization and rational skills were needed. She still refused to help even after hearing Draco's idea for lightening coming down and lighting all the candles.

She shook her head at that and then saw that the Ice Prince was mysteriously MIA and she sent a glance to a smug looking Italian who just shrugged vaguely.

"Where is he?"

Blaise lifted his eyes from the fried zucchini chips he was eating and stuck out his bottom lip in thought, "I think he and Harry are canoodling in the dorms."

"As usual," she smirked.

"If they dare to canoodle on my bed again so help me Merlin I'll curse them both," Theo said.

Hermione smiled again as he spoke, she could hear his voice over the dull rumble of the hall. She knew it because she listened to him speak late at night when the broke into the library or sat in the Study Room and Lounge and discussed intellectual subjects. She knew his scent, his voice, the way he walked, the pattern of his breathing. In hindsight she realized how creepy that may be but she could not bring herself to worry about it. She truly loved the Nott son.

"What's that look for 'Mione?" Ron asked.

She looked up and smiled, "I love him," she said and Ron cocked his head to the side, questioning. "I love Theo."

"Seriously?" Seamus asked.

"Yes, I do," her smile grew as the truth in that statement became final.

Dean and Neville and Ginny all gave each other looks and then smiled, "That's great Hermione."

"Congrats."

"Does he know?" Ginny asked.

"No," she blushed, "I only just figured it out."

"Tell him then," Ginny urged, "Go over there, claim your man and tell him."

* * *

**Grand, aint it?**

**I have smut floating in the distance, plotless interludes mostly, very little of it will be truly helpful to the plot. I'm really going to try and bring the story to a close, sorry to say, but I want a proper ending, I'm so horrible at doing that.  
POINT: In 20 reviews this story will have 1200 and that is AMAZING! I still get really excited when people review, it makes me feel useful and good about myself. **

**Draco:dragging himself out of FireStorm's brain: Bloody hell Potter, give a boy a break.**

**Harry:also reappearing: I warned you.**

**Draco: No you didn't!**

**Azriel: What's all this then?**

**FireStorm: They had sex in my brain :grin: and Blaise and Ron are inspiring a very long, very adorable smut scene...still.**

**Draco: Oi, Blaise is my best friend, not a smut-bunny.**

**Bernard: Smut-bunny what?**

**Draco: Not you.**

**FireStorm: He's such a smut-bunny, did you not read 40?**

**Draco: I was in it, darling, of course I read it.**

**Harry: I move that 45 also be full of smut.**

**Draco: I second that motion.**

**Azriel: I move that I have a smut scene at some point.**

**Julian: And who would be involved with that?**

**Azrile: I wonder...**

**FireStorm: I have an idea...:evil grin:**

**:Draco and Harry run off to inspire slash:**

**:Azriel hijacks Julian:**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	43. The Ball

**:Shag Terrace:**

"My feet hurt," Blaise commented and lit his fifth cigarette, "My back hurts, my head hurts and my eyes hurt."

"The Ball is in three days Blaise, just three more days, one night of hardcore fun and drinking and then we can sleep for ages," Draco was stretched across the ground of the terrace, cigarette in hand and a pile of parchment and a clipboard near his head.

The countdown had become a mantra for them.

Blaise was convinced he had a gray hair though Draco had told him time and again it was simply impossible. His grandmother was nearly seventy and had nothing that even resembled a gray hair.

The Italian slumped to the ground, "Where's your love-bunny?"

"Harry?" Draco clarified, "He's sleeping on my bed, tired from moving and lifting and shopping all day."

"And you're not sleeping with him?"

Draco smiled, "I'm going down after this last smoke," he said and took a drag.

Blaise smiled, "Good." He smoked the rest of that cigarette and lit a sixth.

Draco eyed him, "Feeling okay?"

"Do you understand that I've gone a month and a half without sex?"

"Oh, that."

Blaise sighed, "Since puberty I've hardly gone a week without sex and now…this!"

Draco smiled, "Didn't you talk to him?"

"Yes," Blaise nodded, "We still haven't kissed since that first time over there," he pointed to the spot they were sitting.

"I'm sorry baby," Draco sat up and stubbed out the cigarette. "Maybe you can snog him senseless at the dance."

Blaise grinned, "I'll back him against a wall."

"Do it," Draco kissed his cheek, "It's only eleven, do you want to fire Jay and the boys to arrange a set list or should I wait till morning?"

Blaise bit his bottom lip, "Fire him in the morning."

Draco nodded and left, huddling into his cloak for warmth. He walked through corridors of blank stone walls and found the exact spot that led into Slytherin. He got through (the password had just been changed to 'Il Duce') and he went past the two remaining passages and into his room. Theo was with Hermione, drinking tea and obsessing, Crabbe and Goyle had converted a room deeper in the dungeons into a sort of luxury suite that they shared with Millicent and a Seventh Year girl. Harry was the only occupant and he was dead asleep, snoring a little and only half covered by the quilt in the late autumn, dungeon cold.

The blonde took off his cloak, set his parchment aside, and changed into his pajama bottoms. They were new, flannel and had "Harry's" across the bum, a cute something that made Draco say "Bit territorial, aren't you?" and Harry replied "I'm like a wolf, I mark what belongs to me."

Draco had worn them every night since he got them…or at least every night he had needed pajamas. He lifted the covers and slid in next to his lion.

Harry felt his warmth, rolled half on top of him, one arm strewn across his middle and Harry's cheek pressed against the top of Draco's head. Draco, feeling very wanted, snuggled into the broad chest of one Boy Wonder and fell asleep immediately.

**:The Following Morning:**

"Come on," Blaise yawned and prodded the mass known as Harry and Draco, "We have work to do."

Two heads slipped out from the cover and peered sleepily at the Italian.

"Excuse you but…no," Draco shook his head.

"Draco," Blaise considered tearing away the cover but reconsidered, "We aren't excused from classes so we can sleep, we are excused from classes so we can plan a ball."

Harry yawned and covered himself again, sleepy, and dragged the blonde down too.

"No," Blaise tried to stop the transition back to sleep but motion beneath the sheets made him stop and back away, "Ugh, nevermind."

Hidden in the darkness Draco was snickering as Harry poked the comforter to make it seem as though they were doing something naughty.

"You know," Draco managed, "We actually could to something," and he slid on top of the lion and straddled his hips, chest pressed against Harry's and kissed his neck.

Harry grinned and rolled over so he was on top, Draco wrapped his legs around Harry and pressed him close.

"Yum," he smiled and Harry's hands roamed all over him.

"You make me smile," Harry said and Draco blushed though it was impossible to see in the darkness.

"You're so sickly sweet, it's wonderful."

Harry just grinned.

"What are your thoughts on pie?"

"What?"

"Apple, blueberry, gooseberry, pumpkin, come, what do you prefer?"

Harry gave him the oddest look, "You're insane."

"No," Draco crossed his arms, "I'm reading it off the ceiling, someone carved that into the ceiling."

Harry rolled over, off the blonde and looked at the roof.

"Liar, there's nothing-" he stopped when Draco suddenly appeared on top of him.

"I win."

"You sneaky little devil," Harry grinned.

"Sneaky big devil," Draco corrected him.

"Sure," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Kiss," Draco kissed him and it all faded to black.

**:Storm Ball, 13 December, 21.00 (9.00 PM):**

"You did this?" Seamus looked around the Grand.

Harry smirked, "Draco did this."

"Bull shite," Seamus said and Harry walked towards the middle of the room.

The ceiling was a layer of vivid, almost white gray clouds with dark grey and black pushing in on the edges. Every so often a sheet of white and violent blue electricity shot across and faded. The Grand lit up and the candles and torches burnt white, cackling with an aura of lightening.

It was frightening and beautiful, much like some of the guests.

Draco was standing in the centre of the room next to Blaise. Most guests wore silver, black, white or gray but not the attention-seeking Malfoy heir. He was in red, a dark, almost black red but he stood out against the walks covered in white and silver cloth that moved as if there was a breeze.

Harry made his way over, subtly, and stood at his side, "It turned out perfectly."

Draco smiled proudly, "I think so," he sipped from an iron stemmed wine glass, "Hurricane?"

Harry sipped the drink, "Ugh, it's nine o'clock Drake, what the hell is in that?"

Draco grinned, "Dark and light rum, passion fruit and lime juice."

"And why are you drinking it out a wine glass?"

"Subtlety, darling Harry, subtlety."

Harry rolled his eyes, "Anything else?"

"Montana Tornado?" Blaise offered his drink and Harry tried it out, the strong alcohol burnt down his throat.

"And that is what?"

Blaise bit his bottom lip, "Jack Daniels, gin, tequila, vodka and some sort of soda, I think."

"Got enough proof in that?"

Blaise took it back and drank some more, "It's enough."

Draco polished off his drink, there was not much left, and he smiled, "I'm up for an Electric Storm, how do you feel Blaisey?"

The Italian finished his drink, "Make it two."

Harry gave himself over to the spirit of the ball, "Make it three."

Draco disappeared and he turned to Blaise, "So all the drinks are Storm themed?"

"Damn straight," Blaise nodded. "The food it too, look."

"Chocolate cake?"

"Chocolate _thunder_ cake," he smiled.

"I see."

"And 'rain water punch' for the kiddies," he pointed to an ice sculpture with a moat of what appeared to be just water around it.

"What's in that?" he asked, worried about a bunch of sloshed eleven-year-olds.

"Carbonated water, lime, lemon and kiwi," he smiled, "We like tropical storms, dontcha know."

"You're a testical," Harry ruffled his hair and walked into the crowd.

The Grand filled with people and everyone stopped at least twice to admire the ceiling when lighting rippled across the surface. Harry was approached at least thrice with compliments and questions about how it was done and what the big surprise was.

No one knew the Tigers were playing.

It was not until half past ten that the stage rose from the floor and the clouds on the ceiling began to swirl faster. Bolts of lighting lit the room, hit the stage and left the band in their wake.

Harry knew it was a magic trick and well timed apparition but no one else seemed to get it.

Jay, Yuri and the other boys broke into song and shortly a mosh pit formed.

It was near the back of the room that Harry found Draco, sitting at one of the table and sipping his fifth drink. "Hello love."

Harry sat down next to him, "Having fun?"

Draco smiled, "I am," he pointed, "Ron and Blaise are hiding in the crowd."

Harry squinted and spotted them, not moshing, no, snogging.

Blaise was dancing in between drinks when he felt someone come up behind him and arms snake around his hips. He recognized the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg and smiled as Ron's lips kissed the back of his neck. He giggled and allowed the other boy to hold him close.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked in his ear as they moved to the music so as not to disrupt the motion of the crowd.

"I was dancing," Blaise smiled though his male could not see it, "But now I'm swaying more than dancing, you?"

"I've been looking for you all night."

"Sweet," Blaise grinned, "Hurricane?"

Ron shook his head and nuzzled the long, tan neck in front of him, "I'm fine."

"Yes you are," Blaise grinned and pressed himself a little harder against the redhead. Ron smiled and kissed his neck again, "So tell me, Ronald, do you like it?"

"I do, I like it very much," he continued to kiss Blaise's neck and moved around to put a few on his jawline.

"I meant the ball," Blaise said and Ron pulled his lips away for a moment.

"That's nice too."

Blaise turned around, laughing, and wrapped his arms around Ron's neck, pressing their foreheads together, "Cute."

"Yeah, it's new," he said and looked down at his black and white robe set, "Better than that godawful thing I wore in Fourth Year."

"I meant you, not the robes," Blaise grinned, "But those are nice too, be better if they were gone though," he pouted his bottom lip and Ron let out a hearty laugh.

"You're a naughty beastie aren't you?"

He shrugged and was about to speak when Ron kissed him. It was not a peck on the lips either. It was intense. Ron's lips parted as Blaise's did and their tongues slid over one another and Ron could taste fruit and alcohol on the other oral appendage. He did not mind though, it would be a lie to say he had not had a drink or two over the evening, and he smiled when Blaise did. They moved together and Ron was certain Fred and George would trounce him once they found out but any thought of anything but the lips attacked to his disappeared when Blaise did an indescribably wicked thing with his tongue. Needless to say Ron groaned and Blaise felt quite proud of getting such a response.

"Will you look at that," Harry grinned, "Cutest damn thing I've seen."

"I've been replaced."

Harry's grin became a smirk, "You're not cute," a sad expression graced the blonde for a half second, "You're wickedly sexy," he perked up and grinned.

"I am, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are," Harry leaned over, kissed his cheek and glanced to crowd, slowed now for a couple's dance. He saw Narcissa, elegant even when so pregnant and dressed in a white gown, dancing with the dark Potion's Master. He was surprised to see Snape looked handsome; the sharpness of him seemed more striking than evil now. Harry smiled, Severus seemed alive when he was with her. Somewhere else he saw Azriel and Julian, not exactly dancing, more standing, holding one another, and talking. He had not expected that.

"Are they?"

"They're courting one another," Draco explained, "It's strange."

"I'll say."

* * *

**I know it isn't a 'conventional' update day but HEY! I don't care. I came home on Saturday and realized this chapter wasn't quite ready for presentation so I added some ish, poked it and this is what I got.**

**I was in Ashland OR, sorry I didn't mention, but that's where I was. 4 days to see 7 plays, it was intense but AMAZING. I highly recomend "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde and "King John" by Shakespeare, friggin' amazing.**

**POINT: Here, I love you. I'm not sure what to do about 44 now...it seems I'll have to smut-ify 44 too or something...gosh golly, whatever will I do?**

**Haha. I don't think you'd mind slash a little early, would you? **

**Blaise: I wouldn't.**

**Ron: Me either.**

**Blaise: Really?**

**Ron: You think a month is a long time to wait for a shag? Try seventeen years.**

**Blaise: Ugh, death be to that.**

**Ron: I know!**

**FireStorm: I had something else to say, boys, oh yes. I'm going to try and have this fic done, updated and all, by late autumn, I'm sorry, I know, but it has to happen. I hardly ever finish anything and this seems to be the one to make me finish. I'll try. **

**Draco: If I don't have at least...five more smut scenes I will hex you.**

**FireStorm: With an attitude like that I'll make you celibate.**

**Draco::gasp: NO!**

**FireStorm: Then be nice.**

**Harry: He's nice!**

**FireStorm: Oh, I've also decided on making 2 sequels, plots for the sequels and titles. One will be about Harry, Draco and the gang to be titled "Keeping You the Same" (I really like that). The other will indeed be an Azriel and Julian spin-off and the working title is "Inexplicable" which, for some reason, I feel defines their relationship. So, there you go.**

**Azriel: Hot damn.**

**Julian: I have a sequel? Oh Merlin, how exciting.**

**Azriel: It's _our_ sequel you ninny, share.**

**Julian: I'll share my bed.**

**Azriel::evil grin:**

**FireStorm: SAVE IT!**

**:smiles and love:  
FireStorm**


	44. The Night

**:Around One AM that night:**

"Ron! Where are we?" Blaise stumbled after him, giggling in the darkness of the night.

The lion smiled into the night and continued to pull Blaise along after him.

The Italian stopped, "What is this place?"

Ron shrugged, "I found it last week, great huh?"

The room was small but the ceiling was high and there was a strong smell of vanilla and cinnamon incense. It had an old Gothic church feeling, with pillars topped and supported by elaborate carvings.

"What is it?"

"No idea," Ron admitted, "But it is pretty, right?"

"Of course it is," Blaise, even in his half-drunk state, could still recognize and appreciate fine craftsmanship.

"I'm glad you like it."

Blaise turned to the door, "Is this it?"

"No," Ron kissed him, "I have a lot more to show you."

Blaise smiled, high from the kiss and the rum, "What could be better than a Ball and a snog?"

Ron grinned, "A Ball and a shag?"

Blaise went sober in an instant, "What?"

He shrugged, "I knew that if I gave you anything, I wanted to be able to give you everything so, here I am."

Blaise was, needless to say, gobsmacked.

"You…you really want-I mean…me? Now? Here?"

He nodded.

"Really?"

"You seem really surprised," Ron seemed to loose some confidence, "If you don't want to I guess-"

He was stopped when Blaise kissed him again.

It was fast, tongue and lips and teeth pressed together and forced the breath from his lungs and into Blaise. They fell over, hit the ground hard and broke apart to breath and laugh. Blaise shed his outer robe and straddled the lion's hips, "You should probably know that I don't top."

Ron grinned, "I was fairly certain."

"I'm that obvious?"

"Well," he said, "You're not exactly butch."

Blaise had to smile, "It's the dancing, isn't it?"

"Mostly," and the Italian leaned down and kissed his soon-to-be lover.

Blaise took off his shirt and kissed Ron. The lion smiled from where he lay on the ground, his hands resting on the warm, dark skin. Blaise smiled and rested some of his weight on Ron, leaning into him and stealing his body heat. Blaise wandered away, kissing Ron's jaw, a sensitive spot, and then his neck. Blaise was partial to necks and he quite enjoyed Ron's. The lion squirmed as Blaise unbuttoned his shirt with his teeth.

The Italian grinned and let Ron take it all the way off, they smiled at one another and Blaise explored the new territory. His slim chest and long stomach and hip bones dotted by freckles and scars from growing up with the twins. Blaise breathed in the scent of him and it was as good as any drug. The line of red hair touched by blonde that led from his naval to unseen places was very enticing.

Ron was watching Blaise and admired his well toned, tan skin and saw, for the first time, the intricate black design that covered one shoulder blade and climbed up over his shoulder and collar bone. It appeared to be a Harpie holding a crown with a sun and the ocean in the background. Ron smiled as he saw that the Zabini name was written below and he remembered their family symbol was the Italian Harpie. It was so like Blaise to have a tattoo like that.

That thought disappeared when Blaise licked a trail from his belly button to his collar bone. He gasped when Blaise gave him a little bite.

Shoes and socks came off and were quickly followed by Ron's pants.

"Woah."

"Sorry," Blaise nearly jumped off him, "Sorry, we can slow down I-"

Ron laughed and sat up, "Not that, I just didn't know it was coming."

Blaise giggled, "Coming," he repeated and laughed at the innuendo.

Ron sighed, "Not like that, perv."

"Excuse you, but you're the one who is mostly naked here," Blaise reminded him, "And that makes me happy," and he mounted his boyfriend again.

Ron lay down and laughed, "I'm here to please."

Blaise grinned and stretched himself out over Ron, "I'm so very, very glad."

Ron ran his hands through Blaise's hair and pulled his head down to kiss. He loved the warmth Blaise radiated and his hands as the touched and rubbed and squeezed and sent tingles all over him.

Ron slipped his fingers inside Blaise's trousers and felt the burning hot skin beneath. He groaned as Blaise took his bottom lip between his teeth and sucked for a moment.

"Do it," Blaise breathed and looked directly into his eyes.

"Okay," He rolled him over, carefully, and kissed down his chest and stomach.

He slipped off his trousers and boxers and was confronted by Blaise. He sat back for a moment and scanned the long, dark body before him. He knew that Blaise had 'cast a spell or two' but he was not worried about not being the first wizard to 'make a potion' or anything. He was worried about displeasing Blaise or ruining everything, there were expectations here.

Blaise noticed his pause and raised himself up on his elbows.

"Problem?"

"No-not really, I just…what if I'm no good?"

"It's you. How could it not be good?" He smiled and tilted his head to the right a little. "Listen; shagging is a new experience every time. Same person, different person, place, doesn't matter. It is new and wonderful every time as long as you really invest yourself. Now, I know you're nervous, love, but trust yourself, sex is a natural instinct, let it be."

Ron smiled, "Scholarly, that was."

Blaise shrugged, "I've had a lot of time to think about these sorts of things, now, cut the talk."

Ron did and Blaise turned onto his back.

"Tell me if it hurts," Ron said and placed a kiss on the tattoo and pressed into his lover.

Blaise bit his bottom lip, wrapped his legs around Ron and pulled him in further.

"Just go." He whispered and Ron began to move.

**:Sixth Year Boy's Dormitories:**

Draco giggled when Harry tickled his side and kissed his neck.

Harry smiled into the warmth of his skin and held him close, worried about the next few days. Draco sensed that he was worried and turned to look at the green eyes that stared into the distance.

"What is it?"

Harry sighed, hot breath swept over Draco's shoulder and chest, "I'm worried."

Draco frowned, "About the nineteenth?"

Harry nodded.

"It'll be okay," he said, "With my mum, Dumbledore, you and Azriel here, we'll be okay, I know it."

Harry leaned farther into the warmth that Draco offered.

"I still worry."

Draco understood, "It's hard," he said, "But I promise, it'll be okay."

"Swear?"

"Yes," Draco turned all the way around so he could wrap his arms around Harry's waist, "Because as long as you're here, it cannot get that bad."

"Adorable," Harry kissed his forehead, "That's what you are."

"I try," he said and hugged Harry a little tighter. "So, you're going to become an Auror?"

"Depends," Harry answered, "On whether or not the war is over by graduation."

"I hope so," Draco said, "I hate the war. I hate what it is doing to Sev and mom and Lucius and you and everyone."

Harry nodded, "I hate it too, love, I hate it too."

Draco pouted his bottom lip, "You think something bad will happen?"

"Hope not," he looked down and smiled at the silver eyes, "What do you think will happen?"

"Nothing," he said, "And when nothing happens, you and I can celebrate."

Harry smiled. He rolled onto his back and pulled the blonde on top of him, "I like that idea," he kissed his nose and smiled.

"Aww," Draco cooed and rested his head on Harry's chest. He smiled and started to drift off, "Your heartbeat makes me sleepy."

Harry smiled and started to drift off too.

**:The Grand:**

"Holy crap," Theo stood on the stage looking over the destruction. The Tigers were stumbling off with their chosen 'friends' for the night and students were walking, some with more help than others, back towards their dorms.

Hermione walked up and leaned her head on his shoulder, "Merlin, there's so much trash."

Theo tilted his head to the side and rested his cheek on the top of her head, "I know, Herm, I know."

She sighed and moved closer to him, hugging him close and resting for a moment. He draped an arm around her shoulder and continued to survey the damage.

"Nothing looks unrepairable."

"Thank Merlin," she yawned.

"It's nearly two, we should get to bed."

She nodded along, "We'll get to this in the morning."

"No elves?" he asked.

"I convinced them to let us clean up our own mess," she smiled, "Everyone who helped with the planning is helping with the clean-up."

He looked at her, hoping she was kidding.

"Well, everyone's leaving for holiday soon and since we're all staying…I thought it'd be a fun way to spend a Saturday."

He sighed, "Damn."

"What?"

"Blaise, Drake and I are sneaking to Hogsmeade to find Pansy a really nice present."

"Oh."

"Since, you know, she feels sort of left out of everything. I mean, she's single, she's our only female and she's been having a hard time with her new engagement and everything."

"New engagement?"

"She agreed to help Harry if her mother broke off her engagement with Rico Suave, a Spanish wizard of about thirty who owns a company known for buying, rebuilding and selling other companies off. That was broken off but now there's a new suitor involved; Percival Agramore."

"Who?"

"A twenty-something heir to a fortune in Ireland, nice but still not someone she cares for."

Hermione nodded. "You do that, Ron, Harry, me and the Gryffindors will take care of this."

"Thanks," he kissed her forehead, "I'll walk you to your common room."

She smiled and blushed as thoughts ran through her mind about more than just a walk to the common room.

**Holy crap I know it is short and holy crap I know it is late and I know the slash is as...ehm..involved as 40 but I tried and I think Ron and Blaise would go about their sex differently than Draco and Harry...if that makes sense.**

I am sorry about being so late.  
After Oregon I went to the beach and then to camp and I had no time to write and I got blocked for a few whiles and I feel HORRIBLE!

**Draco: We understand love.**

**Harry: It happens.**

**Ron: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I got shagged!**

**Blaise::giggles: that was loads of fun.**

**Draco: Shove off.**

**Harry: Don't be jealous.**

**Hermione: Do I get, ehem, any...you know...?**

**FireStorm: Ehm...how do the readers feel about that?**

**Hermione: Oh...I know the story is advertised as slash but would it be too much trouble to give Theo and I...you know...just a little...ehm...you know.**

**Draco: Aw, wittle Granger is embaressed to say SEX!**

**Hermione: I am not! I just-uhm, I just want to my-**

**Draco: SEXSEXSEXSEX!**

**Hermione: Stop that!**

**Harry: Herm, he's just excitable, that's all.**

**Draco: Excite me, Potter::tackles Harry:**

**Blaise: YAY! SLASH::tackles Ron:**

**Hermione: Some of that :points: would it be too much trouble?**

**Pansy: And tell them what the shit is going on with me!**

**FireStorm: That's all coming, be patient!**

**Love and Kisses  
FireStorm**


	45. The Investment

**:14 December, Hogsmeade, approx. noon:**

"Any ideas?" Theo asked as he sipped some black tea inside the Three Broomsticks.

"Nothing," Blaise admitted.

"What about…" Draco paused, "No, I got nothing."

Theo sighed and sipped his tea, "Well…what are we going to do?"

"Pansy's birthday isn't until January thirteenth, we have some time, boys," Draco reminded them.

"We should still do something nice for her." Theo said.

Blaise stiffened, "Shh," he silenced them and listened to the conversations around them. He concentrated on the layers of magic around them and who was nearby. He couldn't find anything to prove danger but he felt it. The magic was uneasy, it sensed the approach.

"We should leave," he said and pulled his hood up to cover his face.

Draco and Theo did so too but stopped him, "What's going on?"

"Bad things," Blaise said whispered and stood from their shadowed table. They were about to leave when the door opened and Professor Cuida entered with a hooded figure. There were no distinct characteristics about the figure except that they were walking with a cane. Blaise glared in the shadow of his hood and slipped past them and out the door.

"What the hell?" Draco asked once they were clear of the door. He glanced over his shoulder, "I would recognized that cane anywhere, that was father, and what is he doing with our defense teacher?"

"Affair?" Blaise suggested.

"I hope not."

Theo shrugged, "Let's make a quick tour of the stores and if we don't see anything we can go back to the school."

**:Back inside:**

"What did you want to talk about?" Lucius asked her in Spanish.

Cuida smiled, "What would you like to drink, my Lord?"

He glowered, "White Wing, nineteen seventy three."

"Merlot okay?"

"That's fine," he said and she placed their orders.

"Now," she turned to him, still speaking Spanish, "We have some business."

"You have business," he corrected, "I have yet to be informed as to why I am here."

She tsked loudly, "Lucius, have some faith in me."

"I know what you are, Cuida, I know you work for Roua and I know you betrayed your family, your friends, for her."

She shrugged, "I'm an assassin, Lord Malfoy, what do you expect?"

"Nothing," he answered, "What do you want?"

"Roua," she said, "Is looking to…invest in humanity."

"An heir." He said. He knew that demons spoke of 'investing in humanity' when they were searching for a mortal heir or apprentice. Cuida herself was an investment.

"Something like that," she said and stopped speaking when their drinks arrived. "The Dark Lord has spoken of your new daughter, Heleen, and her…how did he say…fearlessness."

Lucius recognized this compliment as having stemmed from when Heleen touched the Dark Lord, unfazed by his aura of evil. "She is a child, she does not know how to fear."

Cuida smiled, "Three weeks, Lucius, until Roua will force a decision from you. Give up the daughter or die and loose her all the same."

Lucius sipped his wine, "So be it."

"She also knows about your remaining love for Narcissa."

He glared though the shadow of his hood hid it, "She is my wife, Cuida, what do you expect?"

"She's sleeping with your life-long friend, having his child and defending him before she defends you…I don't know how you should feel."

"I have business, Cuida, I shall await word about when the Dead Queen will come for Heleen."

"Good," the Spaniard nodded and watched him leave.

**:The Lake, Hogwarts Grounds, 18.24 (6.24 PM):**

Julian smiled at the glassy surface of the lake. A cold wind swept towards them and Azriel inhaled deeply, catching the smell of the lake and of Julian. He was warm and sweet and unnatural but intoxicating.

"It's a nice day," the crisp air settled down and both boys continued walking.

Azriel agreed and glanced down to see a little rabbit on the trail ahead of them.

"Aww," Julian cooed, "It's so cute!"

Azriel rolled his eyes, "You're such a woman."

Julian grinned and slid his hand into the Night Snow's, "I am," he rested his head on Azriel's shoulder and the rabbit hopped from the path and into the under brush.

"No argument?"

"Nope."

"No snappy comeback?"

"Nope."

"I'm shocked."

Julian just smiled and felt Azriel hold his hand a little tighter. He blushed in the December cold and stopped to watch the sunset over the lake.

"We should head back," the Night Snow said and turned to leave when a small wind brought him the scent of danger. "Let's go."

"But the sunset," Julian pouted.

"Come on," Az tried to pull him along but stopped when he saw the path was blocked.

A Death Nymph.

He was tall, strong and mean. The pair of blades he carried shone gold and red in the fading light.

"Say your prayers, half-breed," the killer snarled, his large canines and forked tongue made it hard for him to speak English.

Azriel let go of Julian, "Get out of here."

"No, I won't leave you."

"Then you're going to see some things that won't sit well with you," Azriel warned and removed his gloves, scarf and jacket. The whole time he kept his eyes on the Death Nymph. He crouched down a little, touching one hand to the ground.

"You hope to win alone?"

"I am not alone," was the response and two more dark creatures appeared from the shadows nearby. The Death Nymph chuckled, "Not so confident anymore, are you?"

"You underestimate me," Azriel answered in their language.

Julian backed away, eyes wide, as he watched the man he had come to love become the sub human he had heard about.

His eyes slowly went from ice blue to a deep crimson. It was impossible to tell of the crimson came in or the blue left but they seemed to glow with his heartbeat. The nails on his fingers, usually so clean and well trimmed grew and sharpened and his whole demeanor went from human to animal.

The three assassins rushed forward, swords and spears glinted in the growing darkness and it all seemed a blur.

The only thing Julian could remember was that Azriel had the most terrifying roar of any animal he had ever heard. The clash of metals and the sounds of flesh ripping and things flying through the air and the grunts, snarls, breathing and screams as the fight went on bore into Julian's mind and tried to cover his ears but they echoed and kept going until he couldn't stand it anymore.

He awoke when Azriel shook him awake, human again, and looking very concerned.

"Are you all right?"

"I-"

"I made sure they didn't come near you, were you hit?"

Julian wanted to scream in terror and run away but that statement made his panic ebb, Azriel had risked his life to protect Julian, something any other lover would never do, and he was worried.

"I-I'm fine," Julian said and stood up, holding Azriel's coat and offered it to him, "You must be cold."

Az nodded, took his coat and put in on. He could sense Julian's discomfort, his fear and Azriel was worried it would cause a rift between them. "Are you all right, though?"

"I wasn't hit or anything…just, uhm, scared."

"Physically you're perfect," Azriel said, "But…I asked you to leave, I didn't want you to-I mean, I am sorry about that but it was only way to keep you safe. I wouldn't have…let it out if I knew it would affect you like that."

Julian sighed, "It's horrifying," he said, "Mostly because it reminded me of the horrible things I would hear late at night in head quarters, I would hear screams and that noise, oh, the noise of flesh being shredded like parchment and it haunts me. I know you were trying to protect me," he said, "And I'm not mad or angry or uncomfortable at or with you at all. It's just the sounds," he sighed, "Thank-you for protecting me though."

Azriel nodded, "I try."

"We should tell the Head Master," Julian said, "And soon."

They made fast progress back to the castle.

"Head Master," Julian threw open the doors to the mostly empty Great Hall, "We have a problem."

They convened in the Head Master's office and every chair, couch and table surface was taken.

Narcissa, Severus, Draco, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Blaise, Theo, Pansy, Cuida, Azriel, Julian, McGonagall and Violet Parkinson took up all the room.

"What is it?"

"Death Nymphs," Azriel said, "They attacked us as we were walking around the lake." He showed them the scratches and bruises he had endured, most were fading already, but it was apparent that he was attacked.

Dumbledore folded his hands together, "This is a bad omen so close to the nineteenth," he looked at Narcissa, "Should we prepare for an attack?"

Narcissa looked to Severus, "I believe," she turned to the gathering, "That this attack is separate from any the Dark Lord is planning. Roua, the False Queen, works independently of him and does as she wishes. This was not simply because the Dark Lord wants you two dead," she explained, "Roua stands to gain a lot from your death and this was, most likely, motivated by her own greed. If the Dark Lord had still planned an attack for this next week he will surely abandon it when he hears of her attack."

"He abandoned those plans," Snape said, "Long ago."

"Good," Narcissa nodded, "Then our only worry," she looked to the students, "Is how to protect them from threats that are harder to stop."

Draco, Blaise and Theo looked at each other, realizing the danger they were in that morning.

Azriel was standing, arms crossed, "As long as I'm here there will be danger to the children."

Narcissa watched him, "Are you suggesting you're going to leave?"

He thought for a moment, walking to the window and staring at the dark lake, "I have some loose ends down in Greece that I need to-"

"No way," Julian stood, "Don't you dare think you're going to run away from this, from me, just because you 'pose a threat to the children.' I'm a threat to the children, Az, Severus is a threat to the children and we're not running to Greece. Don't you dare think you can disappear and leave me here, alone. I don't care about how dangerous you are, we can handle ourselves and I'll be damned if I let you scamper off into the wilderness where more of those wretched monsters will attack you."

Azriel looked over his shoulder at Julian, "Then come with me."

"What?"

"Come to Greece with me, if you're going to be part of my life you should probably help me with this."

Julian stared, almost glared, at him for a moment, "What is it?"

There was a pause, "My son."

Julian gave him a look of mixed shock and anger, "Your what?"

"I'm not even sure if he's alive anymore," he admitted, "He was less than a year old when my mate and I were captured."

"So your son is just living in the wilderness?"

"I have no idea," Azriel said, "That's why I want to go."

Julian rubbed his forehead, "What's his name?"

"Zaverias, after her great grandfather, but I remember that we always called him Zav."

Julian crossed his arms, turned to Narcissa and spoke, "We're going to Greece."

**It's longer than 44 and was great fun to write and FULL OF PLOT! Yay!**

**I like my plot, I miss it sometimes but I find it again...usually.**

**Bernard and Celia and the plot-bunny babies are doing quite well and everyone is happy.**

**I'm sorry to say that Az and Julian will not be seen for a while...unless I have short interludes of their traveling adventures. **

**We have Christmas, New Year's and Chael's birth to get through before they're coming home again SO be prepared for Drama! Slash! Holidays! Labor! and Fluff! because Angsty!Draco and Angsty!Harry are not in the plans.**

**Draco: Thank Merlin.**

**Harry: Yeah, I'm not looking forward to crying a lot.**

**FireStorm: PS. I have some violence (non-graphic) and a little angst planned though it is...uh...not because of Draco and Harry...It's hard to explain but I am telling you to expect some sadness and some side-switching and some tension at Hogwarts. Kay?**

**Draco: Grand, cryptic messeges from the author.**

**Harry: It's hard to explain, I get that.**

**Blaise: You would, Wonder-Boy.**

**Harry: Shut-up.**

**Blaise: You shut-up.**

**Draco: Why are you fighting.**

**Harry: The flammer is mad at me.**

**Blaise: He ate my cookie!**

**Ron: What?**

**Harry: I did not eat your precious cookie, I don't even like oatmeal cookies.**

**Blaise: LIAR!**

**Draco: Oh Merlin, I'm dating an idiot and best friends with a nutter.**

**Ron: Blaise, love, uhm...I ate the cookie.**

**Blaise: WHAT!**

**Ron: Sorry...**

**Blaise:tackles Ron: FOOL!**

**Harry: Told ya'**

**FireStorm: Why did I make you all this way!**

**Love and Kisses  
FireStorm**

**PS-Only 16 (or so) reviews needed for 1300 soooooooooo REVIEW!**


	46. The Holidays

**:19 December, Hogwarts Grounds:**

"You'll be careful, won't you?"

"Yes," Julian nodded and kissed Violet on the cheek.

Narcissa was standing nearby, draped in a pair of heavy cloaks, and smiling. Severus was at her side, one arm around her waist, as they awaited their turn to bid the lovers good-bye.

Draco and the other students had already said their good-byes, farewells and good riddances by this time and only the two ex-Slytherins stood outside still once Violet went back in.

Severus watched Narcissa hug her nephew, "Keep the Night Snow safe," she said and to Azriel she said, "Keep the boy safe."

They nodded.

"I must impart on you some of my gathered wisdom," she said, "The Dead Queen has spies all over the earth, her servants are impossible to see you may only feel their presence. Keep yourself in tune with the magic around you, it may just save you. And," she retrieved her wand, "A spell to guide and protect you," she cast a blue and gold spell and smiled, "Take care, loved ones."

They nodded, hugged her and walked towards the train station. They were going to apparate to a muggle train station and travel by non-magical means to Greece and perhaps back.

Narcissa waited until the growing darkness consumed them before she turned to Severus, "Do you think they'll be okay?"

He watched the night for a moment, "They're smart, they'll make it."

She nodded and slid into his arms, holding him close for warmth in the winter.

**:25 December 3.16 (3.16 AM):**

"Get up get up get up get up get uuuuuuuup!" Blaise came flying into the room, half naked and shivering. He leapt onto the bed with a war cry and came in contact with two very annoyed persons.

"What?" Draco appeared from beneath the covers. The cold air hit his face and he immediately began to disappear under the covers again.

"It's CHRISTMAS!" Blaise screamed in his face.

"It's time for you to brush your teeth," Draco said and shoved the other boy off the bed. Harry groaned from his cocoon of covers and Draco.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on?" he asked.

"Blaise," Draco said and brought his head under again.

"Damn," Harry sighed, "What's he doing here?"

"Trying to wake us up, I think," Draco answered.

"Fool," Harry said and felt himself smile.

Blaise squealed, "Wake up you guys, I wanna open my presents!"

"It is," Draco looked at the newest gnome clock, "A quarter past three in the morning you crazy, crazy person. We are not getting up for at least four hours, get over it."

Blaise groaned, "But Drake, that's so late."

"Get. Over. It," Draco said and curled around Harry, "I'm tired, I'm cold, I'm going to sleep."

He pouted, "What if I say I love you?"

Draco shook his head and pressed himself closer to Harry, "I don't care what you say, it won't help."

"You ruin my life you wretched, wretched boy," Blaise whined and got up from the floor, "I'm going to cry and it's all your fault Draconis, you hear me? All your fault," he left the room in a huff.

Draco ignored it and inhaled the warmth and comfort that was trapped under the covers with him and Harry.

**:Four Hours Later:**

Ron came staggering in, bruised, blushing and exhausted, "Please, Merlin, get up!"

This time it was Harry who looked up, "What happened to you?"

"Blaise, he's-he's a monster," Ron said and exhaled loudly, "I haven't slept since midnight and he's still going."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, a little scared to know the answer.

Ron tried to bring his breathing under control, "Inappropriate things that will make you hit me, now, get up and come into the Common room for presents."

"Which common room?"

"Slytherin, duh," Ron said.

He and Harry had hardly seen the inside of Gryffindor that month and since most people were home for the holidays now, they were fairly blatant about staying in Slytherin. Draco's bed, Harry decided, was perfect for them; perfect size, perfect place, and perfect softness.

Draco had also decided this bed, this place, was perfect; the colors, the privacy (of which there was not much but neither really cared), the place, the people and the bed company did not hurt.

The boys got up, pulled on sweaters and walked into the common room. Theodore and Hermione were occupying a love seat and sipping hot tea. Pansy was sorting gifts from under the pine tree occupying one corner. Blaise, still half naked, was stretched across the largest couch with a heavy blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Presents!" he squealed and opened one side of the blanket up so Ron could snuggle in next to him.

The sun had not risen yet but the fire and a few torches gave the room a warm glow. Pansy levitated the presents over and began handing them out. She offered the boys hot tea and cocoa as well as scones and muffins before she took her seat in the high backed chair. Hermione knew she was a good friend and an amazing young woman but always wondered why she resigned herself to serving people food and planning parties like a house wife. It was strange but Hermione was also aware that it was probably something to do with pureblood tradition and the culture she was raised with.

Within a few minutes they began opening presents and reading cards.

Ron's mother sent Harry and Hermione sweaters and sweets for everyone.

Blaise's mother gave Ron a new set of Quidditch gloves as well as goggles and boots. Desdemona sent Theo and Hermione a rare book and Draco and Harry got tickets to the summer season of the Willington Jaguars, Oliver Wood's new team. Pansy received a jewelry set, two necklaces, a bracelet, earrings and a ring.

Theo's parents sent Blaise, Pansy and Draco photo albums of their childhood. Harry was sent a camera to 'create his own memories' with and Ron and Hermione each received Slytherin scarves and everyone had a nice laugh at that.

There were plenty of gifts and cocoa to keep them warm. They laughed and admired everything and by nine they had exhausted the present supply.

Everyone had a nice haul that year and even Ron was surprised by all the gifts he got. Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder, "That was a nice holiday."

"It's nine in the morning, Potter, don't fall asleep now," Draco nudged him awake.

"Sorry love," Harry sat up.

**:New Year's Eve:**

"What's that one?" Blaise asked as Ron pulled out another firework.

"A Singing Syren," Ron read from the label, "Experimental, ooh," he smiled.

The twins had sent a large crate of fireworks as a Christmas gift and they were being put to use. Draco, Harry, Hermione, Theo and Pansy had set up Shag Terrace with couches and blankets and they were sitting under a surprisingly clear sky to see the fireworks. Blaise and Ron were at the edge of the terrace lighting and aiming the entertainment.

"Do it!" Blaise clapped his hands and held out his wand, the tip glowing red. The fuse caught and the boys rushed back before it fired into the sky. It exploded into the outline of a beautiful woman and she danced through the sky singing.

"Are there any more of those?" Draco asked.

Ron ran forward and looked, "Two more," he said and started to set up a round of seventeen fireworks as the woman continued performing above them.

"What's that?" Pansy asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Fred and George taught me a sequencing spell so they go off like a real fireworks show."

"I'm worried to say the least," Harry laughed and held Draco closer, "If we die I'm leaving all my belongings to a museum and Fred and George are getting squat."

"Are you sure it's a sequencing spell and not a…crazy other thing?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, "They actually used it last year."

"Okay," they nervously watched him finish the set.

"Psst, Granger," Draco leaned towards her, "Give us a shield or something aye?"

She nodded and cast a light protection spell in case anything exploded.

Ron cast the spell, ran back and dove under the blanket he and Blaise were sharing. The first ones went off and the rest followed with just enough time between for the kids to enjoy each one. The sky was four colors at once, blue, green, yellow and pink, and no one noticed that the light in Narcissa's tower was on.

**:High North Tower, Narcissa's Quarters:**

"Smart kids."

"Don't I know it," She smiled, "I hope everything works out for Azriel and Julian."

"They're young, intelligent and strong, I cannot imagine they'll fail."

She nodded, "Do you think Zav is still alive?"

Severus frowned, "He's a Night Snow," he said, "And if he takes after his father, he'll be fine."

She laughed, "Aye, Azriel is a fighter."

Snape smiled and kissed her neck, "How is he?"

"Perfect," she said.

"And how are you?"

She let out a long sigh, "Tired," she admitted, "And worried but more than that I am afraid for my children and for you and this place."

"Do not fear, dear one," he kissed her cheek, "It will settle down and everything will be okay."

"Please Severus, don't promise things like that," She bit her bottom lip and they fell silent so they could watch the fireworks some more.

**:Unknown Location:**

The Dark Lord stood from his seat and began to pace.

Lucius Malfoy, Roua and Cuida were seated around the table before him. Heleen was in the arms of her father and sleeping soundly.

"What is your trouble?" Roua asked while glaring at her razor sharp nails.

"I do not-" he stopped because it was foolish to say his morals were getting in the way. She was a pureblood baby and he did not want to lose her to the Dead Kingdom.

"Do not what?" the Dead Queen stood, "Do not want to look like a fool? Too late. Do not want to lose support? Too late."

He glared, "Do not trivialize me Roua."

"I will do whatever I damn well please," she pointed one long finger towards the baby. Heleen squirmed as if she were uncomfortable and a look of anger crossed her features, "The girl is mine, Tom, back down or face the consequences."

"You are in my lair, Dread Queen, and you should respect me as such," they were both impressively powerful and evil people and the combined anger and power was more intense than anything Lucius was comfortable with.

She glared at him with a flaming hatred.

"For a so called powerful woman you could not kill a half-breed and a whore and thus my opinion of you is understandably lessened."

Her fangs appeared and she hissed at him in something that was not Parseltongue but was similarly frightening.

Heleen screamed.

Lucius tried to silence her but could not.

He screamed too when he saw she was turning to stone.

Lucia Cuida stayed silent and tried to ignore the screaming baby and her father.

**I KNOW! I KNOW! I'm killing off the baby and making things sad and not making long chapters and not updating very often.**

**I feel really bad about it but Junior year is trying to shoot me dead. It's a gunfight. I'm losing.**

**BUT**

**I'm really enjoying my classes and I'm the Head of Costumes and Props for the fall show. YAY!  
Uhm, yeah, that's mostly it...**

**Draco: I got a new blanket for Christmas!**

**Harry: We know.**

**Draco: It has a Quidditch Player on it who looks suspiciously like you, Potter.**

**Blaise: laughing I got it from the Harry Potter Fan Club Christmas Catalog of Wonder.**

**Ron: What?**

**Harry: There's seriously such a thing?**

**Blaise: Yeah, had to pay two sickles for it too.**

**Harry: Aww.**

**Draco: I HAVE POTTER MEMORABILIA!**

**FireStorm: Hey, me too.**

**Draco: You are not dating him, Ms. Storm**

**FireStorm: And you won't be either if you keep up that attitude.**

**Draco: GASP!**

**Blaise: Nutter!**

**Draco: Wanker!**

**Ron: We're dating loonies!**

**Harry: You get used to it mate.**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	47. The Newest Night Snow

**:Greece:**

"What's that?" Julian tip-toed over a fallen log covered in hairy pink moss.

Azriel rolled his eyes, "Just a form of fairy moss, nothing special."

"Says you," Julian checked to make sure he had not got any on his clothes. Azriel smiled.

"You're wearing dragon hide boots, Julian, not exactly the most penetrable cloth."

"But my pants are just heavy wool, a fairly penetrable cloth," he said, "And I don't want to turn pink, again."

Az shrugged, "You deserved it that time," he said.

"I was supposed to know that fairies take offense to being called cute?"

Az ignored him. He pushed a wall of flower covered vines out of the way and stepped out onto the floor of the caldera. It was warmer on the flat, open area and he could see places where lava had burst through more recently.

"We shouldn't go out too far; you can never be sure how sensitive the surface is."

"Got it," Julian backtracked up the side of the volcano a little, "Not going out there."

"Don't be a pansy, Jules, it's not _that _dangerous."

"Says Volcano Boy," Julian scoffed, "I'm staying on the pink log, see you soon."

Azriel dragged him back out of the forest, "Come on."

"Why are we crossing the hardened surface of a dormant volcano?"

"This is the place Zav would most likely be if he were alive."

"Why?"

"Closest volcano to where we left him."

"I see," Julian tried very hard not to keep his feet in one place for too long.

They heard a twig snap from somewhere behind them and Azriel whirled around with his wand out. "Who's there?"

From the forest a small boy, perhaps five, covered in dirt, dried mud, ash and blood, crawled on all fours. He had white hair growing from dark red roots and big ice blue eyes just like Azriel. He grunted and crawled towards them, sniffing at them with distrust.

"Talk to it," Julian said and pushed Az forward.

The Night Snow knelt down and held out his hand, "Come here," he said and the boy glared at him.

Julian cocked his head to the side, "What's wrong?"

"He does not trust me," Azriel said.

"Well, do that…nymph thing you do."

Az looked up over his shoulder, "Seriously?"

"Sure, why not?" Julian shrugged.

Azriel took off his backpack and crouched down onto all fours.

It took a moment before the scarlet crept into his eyes and he let out a deep growl.

The small boy snarled back and they circled each other for a moment, crouched and growling to communicate something. Julian made sure to keep a safe distance away, unobtrusive and distant. The boy did motion towards him, sort of a head-jerk over his shoulder towards Julian. Azriel answered with a snarl and a nod. It went on this way for a little while until Azriel stood, eyes turning blue again, and motioned Julian over.

"Well?"

"It's Zav."

"Oh good," Julian nodded and prodded the other blonde, "Let's run along, 'eh?"

"What about my son?"

"Bring him," Julian said, "I have a bad feeling though."

"About Zav?"

"No, this place," Julian held his hand, "Come on."

Azriel followed him towards the forest along the rim of the volcano, he scooped Zav into his arms and they moved rapidly down the side of the volcano and they were on the ferry towards the mainland when they heard the rumbling start.

"Good call," Azriel kissed Julian on the cheek and Zav watched them curiously.

**:Hogwarts School, 13 January, 19.52 (7.52 PM):**

"Why?"

"I cannot sit by and watch my daughter die; even I have feeling, Dumbledore, and I did not want her life to be the forfeit."

"She is dead?"

"The Queen of Death took her as payment for the Dark Lord's insults. He did not want to lose her to the nymphs and disgraced Roua in the process, she took Heleen as punishment."

"I am sorry for your loss," Narcissa said and took a seat by her husband.

Lucius nodded, stone mask in place, "I was wrong to bring her into the mess in the first place."

"How can we be certain of your allegiance?"

Lucius rolled up his sleeve to show a depression of skin where the Dark Mark had been, it was carved out and replaced with a horrible scar still scabbing in places. Dumbledore moved away from it for the outline was still visible in the scar tissue.

"I have no other way," he said and covered it again, "Narcissa," he turned to her, "I am deeply sorry for everything that has happened in these past few years, for Draco and my anger and violence and the terrible things you have put up with. Please, accept my apology."

She nodded, "You are a flawed human, Lucius, but you are my husband nonetheless and I know you are sincere."

For once it was true, he was changed by the death of his daughter and it was apparent he cared for his own life and had cared for Heleen. Lucius was not a 'good guy' by any stretch of the imagination but he was not a 'bad guy' anymore either.

Narcissa could hear Severus prowling in the background, never trusting anyone for too long. Severus still wore his Mark and felt it burn with the Dark Lord's anger and frustration and fear, he felt the Dark Lord pressing into his mind for information and heard the screams as people were killed. Severus was jealous. Lucius was free and a prominent member of society, he was attractive and rich and influential. He had a higher place in the Dark Lord's inner circle and more power and, on top of that, was married to the woman Severus loved.

Narcissa was blonde but she was not foolish, she loved Severus more now than ever but she retained fondness for her husband and she cared about his well being. Severus, though brilliant, was troubled and that was tragic. There was a lot of uncross able space between them and though they loved each other deeply they were not perfect for one another. She doubted either of them could ever be perfectly matched with another living being.

"Thank-you, dear Narcissa," he kissed her cheek, "I will return to Krakow and wait there until I am needed," he stood, drew his cloak around his shoulder and summoned his cane.

"Will you be safe?"

Lucius considered this for a moment before responding, "I suppose I will be."

"Be careful," Narcissa kissed his cheek and before he shook hands with the two men and disappeared in a green flame.

**:15 January, 11.16:**

"I hate," Ron sang, "This class."

"Oh, hon, I know," Blaise said across the aisle.

"Can you imagine having to sit through this for double periods every day?" he asked and Blaise rolled his eyes heavenward.

"I would kill myself."

"We all would."

Hermione and Theo, simultaneously, turned around and shushed their friends. They caught one another's eyes, blushed, and focused on their notes.

"So cute," Blaise teased.

"Shut up," Theo hissed, "I'm a man not a puppy."

"Cute either way," Blaise said. He leaned back and spotted Draco, half-asleep, and drooling. "Hey, Drakey-poo, you're boyfriend is making eyes at Binns."

Draco leapt up, "I'll kill the dead bastard!"

Blaise covered his giggle fit while the whole class turned to look at the blonde.

"Is anything the matter Mr. Malfoy?"

"No, sir, just expressing my dislike of Romnar the Goblin."

"He is dislikable," Binns agreed and continued to read.

Draco straightened himself out and glared at Blaise, "You are officially going to die after this."

Blaise shrugged, "My boyfriend could beat up your boyfriend."

"But I could beat up you, thus I win."

"Oh please, if we got into a fight, I would whip you senseless."

"You want to bet on that?"

"I think I do."

Harry lifted his head from where it rested on his arms and squinted at his boyfriend.

"What are you two on about?"

"Who could win in a fight, me or Blaise?" Draco said.

"Better question; who would win between Hagrid and Madam Maxime?"

"Ooh," Seamus turned around, "I'd but a galleon on Maxime."

Dean turned back too, "No way, two galleons on the Groundskeeper."

"This is getting better by the second," Blaise grinned and scootched forward to talk to the other boys.

"How does it make you feel to know you're dating that?" Harry asked Ron.

"Sometimes I smile," he said, "Sometimes I try and remember how it all happened and my brain hurts so I stop."

"I know how you feel," Harry admitted, "Sometimes I end up wondering how it happened…"

"Don't even start Harry," Ron warned him, "You end up worrying about whether you'll grow old and have to learn to darn socks or iron robes or something."

"Do you even know what 'darning socks' is?"

"Nope," Ron shook his head.

Harry chuckled and tried to listen to the lecture.

**:24 January:**

"Is that him?"

Az nodded.

"He's so timid."

"-So cute-"

"-Looks just like you-"

"-Where'd you find him?"

Julian was sitting on the floor while Zav crawled around sniffing and exploring the Room of Requirement. Julian made a clicking noise and Zav quickly went to his side. The small blonde boy crouched by his side expectantly. Julian smiled, kissed his forehead and let him play again.

Draco was sitting, cross-legged, on a couch and watching his cousin-type-thing scamper around. Harry and Ron were standing with Azriel, Hermione and Pansy by the fire place. Blaise, stretched across the floor, was offering the little boy crackers and small toys.

Blaise let a chocolate frog loose and Zav pounced on it. The poor frog made a desperate attempt to escape but the small boy was too fast. He bit off the head and then stuffed the rest into his mouth.

He was small, uncivilized and he hardly spoke any English but he was cute and obviously very intelligent.

Julian grinned, Zav noticed and rushed to his side. The small boy plopped into his lap and curled up.

"Will you teach him English?"

Azriel nodded, "He can say a few things; yes, no, food, sleep. The basics really."

"Good."

"Julian wants to teach him Latin and French at the same time. I want to start with German and Greek."

Ron nodded, "Do them all."

"We should," Az agreed, "But he needs to catch up with his age group in respect to manners, culture and grace."

"You want him to conform?" Pansy asked, "He's a magnificent child, take him another direction."

The Night Snow sighed, "I was taken another direction and we can see how that turned out."

Pansy gave him a look, "Really, he could become an incredibly wizard."

Zav was with Blaise again, catching and releasing a small chocolate frog that Blaise was levitating. The boy was quick and never missed it, he did enjoy batting it around, the poor thing, and holding one leg while Blaise tried to magic it away.

Azriel watched him, smiling, and wondered what would have become of him if he remained unfound. It was plausible that he would have gravitated back to England, to the Snow Manor and the death and wars. Azriel could see the Fire in him, the snarls and glowers and sharp toothed grins he gave were very reminiscent of his mother.

Caroba, the Fire Nymph, was the same way, animalistic, dangerous and exquisite. Zaverias was just like her. It was so strange. No. Zav was not just like Caroba. He was inexplicably like Julian. He had the glint in his eye and the way of looking at you without actually looking at you. He grinned and blinked and even tilted his head to one side in the same way Julian did. Azriel expected they were things he had picked up in the past few weeks.

"Food," the boy said and everyone looked at him. His voice was harsh, sudden and had to force its way around words.

Julian smiled, "Good, good," he conjured a sandwich, "Eat?"

The boy poked it, sniffed it and picked up a half, "Food?"

Julian nodded and gave him a smile.

Zav took a bite, discovered it to be good, settled himself down and ate the whole thing.

"Maybe Zav would like to play with Heleen sometime," Draco said with a grin.

"That would be adorable."

Julian and Azriel exchanged a look. They had been informed of Lucius' alliance shift just after their arrival two nights prior. They heard about Heleen's death and neither wanted to tell the boys.

Finally Azriel, the braver of the two, spoke up, "Have you heard from Lucius recently?"

"No," Draco said with an odd look, "Not since November or so."

"He was here earlier this month," Az said and they all looked at him with worry, "To officially pledge allegiance to the Light Side."

They stared at him with horror, disbelief and shock.

"What?"

"Because," The Night Snow continued, "The Dead Queen killed Heleen to show the Dark Lord he is not allowed to insult her."

"Roua killed her?" Draco stood.

Azriel nodded.

The Malfoy heir was covered in an iron mask of hatred and wrath.

They watched this transformation.

His eyes darkened to a stormy silver-black and the pale skin that covered him crackled with a white energy that went unseen but filled the air with his rage.

Harry could feel it.

Everyone could.

It almost overwhelmed Blaise.

"We're fighting a war," Draco said and left the room.

* * *

**Well**

**There it is.  
Chapter 47 and the OFFICIAL START OF THE WAR**

WhaBAM!

**Guess what?  
Today, the 22 of September...is my 17th Birthday : ) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy) 's 19th so, hoorah to us.**

I'm a happy bat.  
Everyone else is happy too.  
Draco: I'm not!

**Harry: You're never happy.**

**Julian: I'm happy.**

**Azriel: Surprisingly, I'm content too.**

**Narcissa: I hate being pregnant. Now I remember why I only did it once.**

**Severus: Too late.**

**Narcissa: Get me a scone...a garlic scone...with cream cheese...and carrot juice**

**Everyone: Oh, GROSS!**

**Narcissa: I'll KILL you!**

**Blaise: OH SNAPS!**

**Ron: I want a scone too!**

**Blaise: A garlic scone?**

**Ron: Cranberry, actually.**

**Draco: WANKER!**

**Ron: GIT!**

**:slow motion battle:**

**Harry and FireStorm: Oh Merlin!**

**Love and Kisses  
FireStorm**


	48. The Newest Snape

**:The Old, 29 January:**

"This is it?" Draco whispered at the Order of the Pheonix assembled around the large, circular table in the middle of the room. Two guards watched the door and another at the fire place. Shacklebolt limped in, brushing past the guards. He stopped upon seeing Lucius Malfoy, turned to them and said, "You missed one."

They did not reply, just cast wards over the doors and windows and took their seats.

"Pretty much," Harry said, "As far as leaders go."

"We'll have our work cut out for us," he replied and glanced at Blaise.

The boy was reading a romance novel, holding it in his right hand, and writing a complex series of equations with his left. Draco observed them and decided that, whatever they were, they were none of his business.

Ron was fidgeting on the other side of Blaise, tapping his fingers, twiddling his thumbs and trying very hard to seem sure of himself. Molly and Arthur Weasley were nearby and they were talking to a pair of Aurors about something. Draco wondered whether Ron was nervous about the meeting and the war, or about his parents finding out he was dating Blaise.

The fire exploded as Desdemona, Malika and Gabrielle entered.

Narcissa stood to greet them, they commented on how far along she was, exchanged general pleasantries and then sat down.

Snape and Lucius were on either side of Narcissa and the other women were clustered near Molly and Arthur.

"Settle down everyone," Dumbledore took the focus. "Now, we all know that the war is upon us, it is closer now than ever before. With the alliance shift of Lucius, the escape and rise to power of Lord Snow, and the power of the Keeper pledged to us the Dark Lord is now more willing to fight, hoping to win before more powerful allies join up with us."

Everyone nodded.

"Now, there is the problem of testing alliances," he looked at Lucius and Narcissa while many people focused on Lucius and Severus. "I have devised a spell that determines the true intentions of someone-"

"You mean the Pensa Veritas spell?" Hermione asked.

He looked at her.

"Pensa Veritas is an obscure spell form of Veritasium, it is more easily controlled however takes great power."

Dumbledore looked angry, "I suppose it is similar…" he went on, "And we will be using it today to prove to everyone that we are all trustworthy."

Blaise rolled his eyes and, in Latin, said, "It's a meeting, not class."

Everyone who spoke Latin chuckled and Dumbledore glowered because he had not studied the language in respects to everyday usage for many years.

"Now," Narcissa stood, "If anyone has gained our trust so much as to be invited to this meeting we ought trust them enough to not interrogate them."

Some of the members nodded but generally they wanted to test Lucius and Snape.

"You only take that stance because you are scared that one or both of your lovers will be found out as a true Dark Lord follower." Moody said.

Narcissa smirked, "Entirely possible, Alastor, but I would rather think it was because I do not want anyone else to be found out as a Follower," she looked at everyone.

"If you know anything, dear Lady, tell us now," someone said and the other agreed.

"I know nothing," she responded, "Only that I do not side with interrogation as a valid technique to gain allies."

She seated herself and no argument rose for a few moments.

"I wonder," Lucius finally said, "If such measures were taken before I arrived or if this is a new policy instated simply because of my presence."

"It's because of you," Moody told him and smirked.

"At least I know," he said, "I do hate when people act as if it is not me."

They were quiet until Lucius nodded to the Head Master, "If you must."

He performed the spell and Lucius glared.

"Where do your allegiances lie?"

"In the Light."

"Why?"

"The Dark Lord is doomed to fail."

"Only that?"

"I do not want to waste my life."

"Explain."

"Why should I die for a cause doomed to fail, it is not in my best interests."

People agreed, generally, and Dumbledore lifted the spell.

"Now, old friend," he looked to Snape, "I-"

"No excuses, just do it."

The spell was cast.

"Where do your allegiances lie?"

"With Narcissa."

She turned to him, almost confused.

"Not in the Light?"

"That is not important," he said, "As long as she is safe."

"Why?"

"That is none of your business," Narcissa snapped and lifted the spell.

Snape's eyes narrowed at the Head Master.

He quickly moved the meeting along, unfurling a large map of the Hogwarts grounds. "We should station guard posts along the perimeter. Perhaps extend a security line through the woods and lake."

Julian spoke up, "As useful as those may be they do not protect against Death Nymphs."

"I-"

Chatter grew at their mention.

"Listen," Azriel said, "We need to call on our allies; trolls, giants, merpeople, centaurs, Veela and some of the nymph clans. The only good protection against them is living things; magic cannot detect them but anything with a good sense of smell can."

They agreed.

"We will need people to man the guard posts; we'll take two to three people on three to five day shifts at four stations directly north, south, east and west of the castle." Dumbledore illuminated the posts for them, "They will be heavily guarded and able to alert us to suspicious activity at a moment's notice."

"You expect three people to spend five days exchanging sleep and watch hours?"

"I do." He said.

"What if they do not attack us first?"

"Some of us need to be able to protect the Ministry or the wizarding public."

"They could cross the seas and take Beuxbattons or Durmstrang first," someone added.

"We have to take that chance-"

"Or if they go to Diagon Alley-"

"Or kill people in their homes-"

"It is small scale thinking," Harry stood, "That made the war so desperately hard the first time around. I have been reading up on the techniques used and our strategy then was to protect the big things and let the little things, the public, fend for themselves. We need a large scale. It's not a few people in huts that will win this war," he said, "Mass recruiting, training, international efforts and a confederation of trained aurors, perhaps an undercover team of young people to join the Death Eaters as they begin recruiting and work from the inside. If we fight small then we will win small. If we fight big, we win big.

"I know Hogwarts must be protected but it cannot be the only thing we take care of. All of the people need this sort of focus, we're not just fighting for Hogwarts, it is for their safety and their future. We cannot abandon them."

People clapped and cheered their agreement.

"Well put Mr. Potter," Moody said.

"It will help the moral of the public during the war and after." Harry added, "They will not feel as if we failed. If the people know we are protecting them then they will support us and the support of the masses can only mean victory sooner."

Narcissa smiled at him.

Draco was frowning, concentrating and coming to a conclusion within himself.

He turned to Blaise and the two boys exchanged a serious look, then a sigh.

Pansy saw this and realized what they were thinking and the expression Theo carried was the same. She rested her forehead in her hand and nodded because she knew they were glancing to her for the go ahead.

Hermione and Ron were smiling at their friend and did not notice the almost pained expression of their boyfriends. Harry nodded to the Order and leaned over the map.

"We should start training a group of aurors to fly, either by broomstick or hippogriff, over the surrounding area to watch for activity. Similar groups, four or five people, should be placed near major centers of wizard activity all throughout Europe."

"He's really stepping up," Narcissa said and Snape nodded.

"I had thought he and James were nothing alike but the way he speaks, takes command, it's all so much like his father," Snape admitted.

"I do say," Lucius added, "I can seem some of your cousin in him, 'Cissa."

She knew he meant Sirius and she could see it to. Harry was self assured, he knew what he wanted to have happen and he was certain he was going to get it.

"I'm so glad he's taking control of this, new ideas and strategies are just what we need," she said and listened to him speak.

**:1 February:**

"HOLY MERLIN!"

"What? What's happening?"

"It! It! It's coming!"

"What?"

"Hole shite! Drake!" Blaise yelled, grabbed his arm and dragged him out of bed.

"What?"

"Your mum is having the baby," he yelled and ran to the common room.

"Harry!" Draco screamed, pulled him out of bed and they ran to the Hospital Wing.

They paced in front of the well locked door for three hours.

Pansy, Theo, Hermione, Snape, Lucius, Azriel, Draco, Blaise, Harry and Ron waited with Zav.

The door creaked open and Madam Pomfrey appeared. Julian and Violet had helped deliver the baby and was just behind her.

The group crowded forward, Lucius, Snape and Draco were the only ones to enter and see Narcissa with her son.

He opened his eyes and they saw brilliant turquoise touched by shards of ebony and grey. He smiled at his father and reached out for him. Snape seated himself on the bed and ran a finger over his son's forehead. His hair was jet black and thick already. The baby giggled and held Severus' thumb.

Lucius kept his distance but seemed to approve of the boy from afar.

Draco was more forward.

"He's absolutely adorable mum," he smiled.

She smiled at her first son, "He's a strong little boy."

"What's his full name?"

"Chael Kieran Malfoy Snape," she said.

Severus looked at her oddly, "Really?"

"I am certain," she said, "That your name will suit him perfectly. He is not a Malfoy," she smiled, "Not nearly stern enough."

They laughed.

Draco kissed his mother on the cheek. "I'm so happy for you mum."

"Thank-you baby."

Lucius stepped forward, "A fine son, Narcissa, congratulations."

She nodded.

"He reminds me of Draco as a baby," Severus admitted and watched Chael clap his hands and giggle and squirm.

"I was cute," Draco said.

"Now, if I remember correctly," Lucius said, "Draco was born at about this time of day."

"Four in the morning?" Draco frowned.

Narcissa thought, "Oh yes, it was the coldest day of the summer too."

"The weather wizard predicts that today will be the coldest day of the year, not even 1," Snape said.

They all smiled at the coincidence, "I think he should have Draco in his name."

Narcissa laughed a little, "A five name baby?"

"Of course," Draco said, "What's a baby without my name involved?"

"A plenty happy baby," Lucius said.

Narcissa gave Chael to Severus and they cooed.

"Let everyone else in," Lucius commanded and the doors opened to them.

Zav was placed on the bed near Severus.

The two young children looked at each other and giggled.

_This is the group, no, the family, that Chael has been born into. _Harry thought and looked around. _It's so incredible._

Theo and Hermione, Pansy, Blaise and Ron were crowded behind him and Draco at the right hand side of the bed. Julian and Azriel were at the foot of the bed with Violet. Severus sat on the left holding Chael while Lucius stood nearby with a patient but unexpressive look.

_This family_ Harry thought _Quirky, wild, weird and totally wonderful. I wish I had people like this._

"Is he healthy and everything?"

"Perfectly so," Narcissa said. "He even has a birthmark," she said and moved some of the hair from his forehead. There was a little line creating a crescent moon over his left eye.

"Wow," everyone looked at it and Harry felt their eyes glance back to him.

He smiled, "I'm not even related to him and he's like me."

They laughed.

Draco leaned over the baby, "He doesn't look a thing like me," he pouted, "Why?"

"You look like your father and he looks like his father," Narcissa said.

"Who looks like you then?"

Narcissa smirked, "I do."

They laughed and people began to conjure seats, settling in for a nice time.

**:9 February:**

"Happy Birthday!"

Azriel staggered back, grabbing the door frame for support. The rooms he now shared with Julian and Zav were decorated in green. Shining fairies were flittering around lanterns and sitting on a chandelier that had never been there before. A table of food was set out and Ron was stuffing his face. Narcissa and Chael were in a chair by the fire with Severus hovering protectively nearby. Zav was with Julian and everyone was watching him and smiling.

Julian rushed forward, grabbed his arm and led him into the small gathering.

Draco, dressed in a waiters outfit with tails and all, approached with a tray of butterbeer, "Drink?"

"Of course," he took a mug and smiled as Blaise appeared in a similar outfit with a tray of finger sandwiches.

They wove through the crowd, chattering with professors and their boyfriends. The Zabini matriarch stood with Malika and Gabrielle near a small table decorated with pictures of Azriel from his youth. He admired them from a distance and wondered how Julian had come across them.

"Come here," Julian tugged him towards the fire place.

A pile of presents covered a table near Narcissa. She smiled, stood, and opened her arms to Azriel. Chael was safely cradled by his father at this time and giggled heartily when Severus touched his nose.

"Happy Birthday, cousin, I do wish you a happy year and a long life," she smiled at him and he saw a strange sadness in her eyes.

* * *

**This is up SO much sooner than you thought, admit it.**

**You lost faith in my ability to write a chapter a week, didn't you?**

**I don't blame you, I did it too. HAHA!**

**So anyways, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Sorry it's so damn long...yeah...I'm not a consise person, that's not spelt right...oh well.**

Draco: You're author is a beta-less wierdo in pajama pants. She's drawing kittens for Merlin's sake.

**Harry: Hey, she's your author too.**

**Julian: Well, I like her.**

**Draco: She made you. She's just using the rest of us.**

**Azriel: Minus my son and I, Dreziak Xian, Roua, the Death Nymphs, the Snow family, Julian's father, the whole Fire Nymph tribe, Violet Parkinson, every pureblood mentioned, Indigo the snake, the game of Polagerus, that guy Sasha-**

**Draco: Bugger that guy. HEY! FireStorm, what the hell is with that guy, anyways?**

**FireStorm: Lord above Draco, he's made what, two appearences? He's a background character used almost exclusively to tie you and Harry closer together and make you a real person and not just a mean blonde guy running around the background of the story.**

**Draco: You're mean.**

**FireStorm: I know.**

**Julian: I like you.**

**FireStorm: I like you too, honey.**

**Harry: I like you!**

**FireStorm: I know.**

**Draco: I'll bet you don't know how I feel.**

**FireStorm: I know everything, babe. :creepy face:**

**Draco::girlish scream:**

**:)  
Hugs and Love  
FireStorm**


	49. The Valentine's Day

**::Slytherin Common Room::**

Draco lay across the floor with his arms and legs spread in all directions and a pleased look on his face. An empty mug sat by his head, formerly full of hot tea and a plate lay by his left knee, dusted in crumbs and Italian dressing from the salad. The couches were full of people and snakes walked around and talked to one another.

It was strange to see the most influential and important young man in the green and silver house lying on the floor and doing nothing.

Everything went quiet when the door opened.

Snape stepped in and spotted his godson on the floor.

"Draco."

Silver eyes fluttered open and the pleased look disintegrated into slightly annoyed expression that only intensified as he stood and accompanied Severus out and to the Head Master's office.

"What?" He snarled as he sat down.

"Mr. Malfoy, please calm down."

He glared in response.

"It is about Ms. Parkinson."

He stood, "What's happened?"

"She's disappeared."

Draco took a step backwards and fell into the chair, wide eyed and speechless.

"We do not think it is an abduction but that she has left of her own accord."

"What?"

"I have reason to believe," Snape said, "That she has joined up with Roua to become a spy for us."

"Why would you believe that?"

Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a letter written in the extremely formal and well controlled writing that Draco easily recognized as Pansy's.

_Everyone,_

_You must be incredibly upset with me now and for that I apologize but I would much rather have you angry at me and alive then dead and unable to feel anything. I cannot say this is the right choice or the most intelligent but it is the only thing I can do. You must understand my reasoning; either I do this and risk one life to save many or I allow you to risk your lives and risk the happiness and functionality of the entire Light Side. My choice is obvious. I may not be the most powerful witch or the most intelligent but I am smart enough to know what I am getting into and I am powerful enough to keep her out of my mind if I wish. _

_You know that part of my Snow heritage is that ability to make people open up to me, when I heard that Harry was being trained in Occulumency I began to study up on it and trained myself using the natural inclination I have towards reading people's thoughts and emotions. _

_This allows for me to protect myself so do not worry._

_You doubt me, I know. You doubt my strength and this choice but I must. You have too much to lose and I want everything to be better soon. _

_It will be._

_Trust me._

_-P. R. P._

"What the bloody hell is she thinking," he threw the letter to the ground.

"She is thinking exactly what she wrote; she has prepared herself and made her choice. A valiant and stupid decision as it may be," Severus said.

Draco crossed his legs and pressed the pads of his fingers together, trying to think.

"Are you all right Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course I'm not all right you old fool."

"Now, listen here," he said, "Ms. Parkinson is extremely intelligent and I have full confidence that she will perform admirably. You must have faith in her as well."

"I do, I-I-I do," he said and glared into the fire. "Does anyone else know?"

"No, we thought it best to tell you first."

"Good, do not tell anyone, I'll do that," he said and thought for a half moment more, "We're going to continue fortification of the castle and work even harder on preparing the under years to defend themselves. I want constant communication with the Order and all Aurors in the field. We need to keep our eyes open and this is not the time to shun anything suspicious. These days, nothing is just a trick of the mind."

**::Dead Queen's Castle::**

"Who is she?" Roua asked without looking up at Lucia.

The nymph spun a dagger on the oak table in front of her, watching the point create a deeper hole with every rotation.

Lucia crossed her arms, "A pureblood girl."

Roua glanced up at that, "Who is she?"

"Pansy Parkinson."

Roua stood, grabbed her staff and marched out and into the reception hall.

Pansy stood in the centre of the hall with a heavy winter cloak on and her hood pulled up.

"Ms. Parkinson," Roua paused and smirked, showing her fangs, "Pleasure to have you in my court."

She dropped her hood, "Nothing pleasurable about it, Dread Queen."

Roua quirked one scaled eyebrow and smiled, "Of course, little human," she walked to the obsidian throne and seated herself. "What do you want?"

"You know."

Roua leaned forward, "I suppose I do, don't I?" She smiled, "Okay."

"So easily?"

"I am not an easy creature to lie to, Miss Parkinson and you can do that, I am impressed. That and I see more about you than you know." Her smile widened and grew more evil.

"So be it," Pansy nodded and lifted her hood over her face again.

"Your first mission," she said before Pansy could leave, "Is to bring me a certain human."

"Who?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

**::By the lake at Hogwarts School::**

"What'd she do that for?" Blaise asked, more confused than upset. He picked up a smooth stone and sent it skipping across the surface of the lake.

The land was thawing a little and the sun was out so late in the afternoon and students were milling about. Most still wore winter cloaks to keep off the biting wind but it was more pleasant than usual.

"To save us."

"That's stupid," Blaise said, "She'll come back soon, right?"

"I doubt it."

Blaise frowned, "What…I still don't get it."

Theo gritted his teeth and held back his sharp comment.

"What are we going to do though?"

"About Pansy?"

"Of course about Pansy," Draco snapped and Blaise immediately looked embarrassed.

Theo sighed, "There's nothing to be done now, she's with Roua and we have to wait to see what happens."

"I don't want to just wait for her."

"What other choice do we have? If we go on the offensive against Roua then we're going against the Dark Lord and, in essence, bringing about the war faster than necessary."

"Doesn't change the fact that I don't want Pansy, _my_ Pansy, hanging around with Death Nymphs and getting evil," Blaise said and skipped another rock. "Is there any way we can communicate with her?"

"Not that I know of," Theo admitted and then turned to the sun, observed its place and stood, "Classes start up again in about twenty minutes, we should get going."

The other boys looked at the sun and nodded.

**::14 February::**

"What are you doing Mr. Potter?"

"Making sure my boyfriend knows he's appreciated on this the "Romantic Day" of the year." Harry kissed the blindfolded boy's cheek and Draco giggled.

"You make me blush, kind sir."

Harry smiled and pulled out a chair for Draco. The blonde seated himself and reached out his hands to rest them on the table. "What is all this?"

Harry shrugged and realized Draco could not hear that, "I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"You're sweet," Draco smiled and gently extended his hand until he found a goblet of wine. "What's this?"

"Wine," Harry said and Draco lifted it to his lips.

"It's good."

"Blaise said it's your favorite, 1877 white wine."

"Helbrough," Draco smiled again, "It is."

"Good, I'm glad he's not a lying sack of shite," they laughed.

"Can I take this off now?"

"No, no way," Harry said and lit the last candle. "Okay, now you can."

Draco set down the goblet and removed the blindfold, he smiled when he saw what the Room of Requirement had been turned into. "Well done Mr. Potter."

The cathedral ceilings and sculpted pillars created a gothic feeling in the small but comfortable room. The table was circular and the design carved into it was intricate, old and intriguing. Draco leaned back and watched Harry as he adjusted the comforter over the back of a couch near the large, ornate fireplace.

"Thanks Drake," Harry smiled, "Everything to your liking?"

"Very much so," Draco, though small, was feisty and he stood, grabbed his boyfriend and kissed him, hard, on the lips.

He pulled back and placed a soft, short kiss on the corner of Harry's mouth and then stepped back. "Perfect."

"I think I'm bruising," Harry said and laughed.

"You better be." Draco said and took his seat again.

Harry sat down too and their dinner appeared. Draco clapped to show his excitement, "Lamb chop and garlic mashed potatoes! Harry how did you know my favorite meal?"

"I know you, Draco, and I aim to please."

He grinned with true joy and Harry felt his heart flutter at the sight. Draco had been serious for the past few weeks and nothing saddened Harry more than the loss of that razor-like glint in Draco's eyes. He tried to make Draco happy, especially in this time of war and stress. That's not to say that Draco sat around without doing anything nice for Harry too. They read together and Draco made a rather impressive mug of cocoa not to mention his kisses were divine.

Draco curled his legs up under him, "You're the best," his smile stayed in place as he cut the lamb and began to eat.

"Come here," Harry distracted him from the meal.

"What are you doing?" Draco giggled in a way that made Harry blush. The lion lifted Draco and threw him over his shoulder.

"We're going to bed."

Draco laughed as Harry laid him out across the bed in the back corner of the room. "You're too sweet," he kissed Harry and ran his hands through his hair. There were long moments of kisses and sometimes Draco wandered to Harry's cheek and down his neck.

They rolled together and shed their clothes until Harry found himself sitting on top of Draco, staring at his slender form and smiling as the blonde traced hearts on Harry's hip and the snake sat up and kissed him again, pulling him down.

* * *

**So**

**Holy shit, sorry kids**

**I feel really bad and I apologize every time but it's so true, I hate myself for having writers block and this isn't too good or too long but I kept having nightmares about everyone hating me for not updating. I got swamped with shit to do but now I'm going to try writing more often. I think I got past the hump.**

**I wanted to have this story completed by now but that didn't work out so I'll try and be done soon.**

**Thanks for the patience!**

**LOVE  
FireStorm**


	50. The Discovery

**::20 February::**

Dumbledore rested his head in his hands and listened to Severus and Minerva bicker. They were on about something mundane, as usual, and it forced a sigh from him.

"Listen," he raised his head, "You're both grown, intelligent people, settle it without all this bickering."

They looked at him strangely, "What is wrong, Albus?" Minerva asked, standing up to move closer.

"I have troubling news, Minerva," he lifted a small orb from his desk, "Ms. Parkinson sent this to us today."

The orb, called a Carta, held a visual and oral message from up to forty-eight hours and could be shown at any time. Dumbledore touched his want to it and the image of Pansy Parkinson appeared.

"Albus, I would like to start off by saying I'm terribly sorry about all the trouble I'm sure my disappearance has caused. Please assure my sister and friends that I am all right and I have been put in no danger. You, however, are being put in grave danger. There is a spy for Roua in the school," she turned her head to the side, "Cuida is a mercenary, trained and favored by Roua herself. Professor Cuida exists in the school so she may kill you, Severus and any Order member present at a moment's notice as well as gather information on our plans, strategy and advantages. You must remove her immediately and whether or not you betray my situation is irrelevant, she _will_ kill you if she is presented with an opportunity and you must not allow her to."

Pansy sighed and returned her eyes to the orb, "My other news is less grave but of equal importance; I have been given a mission, part test of loyalty part convenience. Roua has charged me with the 'removal of Lucius Malfoy from combat and influence in this upcoming conflict' and you know that means she wants him dead. I do admit that considering some of the things he has done I do not have strong feelings against it but reconsidering his recent change of loyalty I do need the okay from Narcissa, Draco, Professor Snape, yourself Headmaster, as well as members of the Order to assure that I will not be tried and punished for such actions."

She nodded, "Do tell my friends that I love them deeply and I do hope everything is okay."

The orb went dark and the three adults looked to one another with worry.

"That is a lot for one message."

"We must show Narcissa and Harry," Snape said immediately, "Draco is a magnificent planner and the other Order Members as well as the children will want to know."

"Call them up," Dumbledore said, "I cannot wait any longer to resolve this matter."

Within a few minutes Narcissa sat with her child in arm while Violet, Azriel, Julian and the gang of six teens sat awkwardly on a single sofa.

"What's going on?"

Dumbledore played them the message and they sat silent and stunned.

"That's…wow…I," Julian sighed, "I knew Cuida was up to something but I never assumed she was a spy."

"None of us did," Azriel said and sighed, "What are you going to do?"

"Dismiss her, of course," Dumbledore said and then sighed too, "But it would be insurmountably suspicious if I dismiss the Defense teacher as we are on the brink of war."

"What if Az and I replace her?" Julian suggested, "It would be more an easier transition if she is replaced with people the students have seen around."

"That does not deter from the fact that we are _replacing_ the defense teacher."

"We'll say she got a bun in the oven and put an end to it."

Narcissa raised her eyebrows, "What if we set up an accident that disallows her to continue teaching?"

"What could happen?"

"I'm sure Ron could put his head to it, perhaps call in some experienced tricksters and set something up."

They all grinned at Ron and the youngest male Weasley nodded, "I like that plan."

"Then make it happen, three days before I dismiss her on my own," Dumbledore warned. "And what to do about your husband, Narcissa?"

She looked down at her youngest son, "Lucius is a smart man, strong and fierce in all that he does but he does not believe in our cause, only in saving himself."

"Does that mean you condone his murder?"

She looked up, "If he dies I may have a chance to spend my life with Severus and Draco would have freedom to love Harry openly, perhaps it would be for the better."

They all considered this for a moment, Harry and Draco looked at each other and exchanging facial expressions before they both agreed.

"I don't want to be responsible for anyone's death but, as much as I feel that way, I think it may be best." Draco said and crossed his legs, sliding into Harry's lap.

"I feel the same," Harry agreed and everyone consented.

"Then it is settled."

**::Room Of Requirements::**

Draco lay atop Harry, and Draco's head rested on Harry's collar bone, both facing towards the fire place and watching it silently. They were tired, exhausted physically, emotionally and morally.

The past few days had dragged on, piling with homework, training, Quidditch, planning and decisions.

"What do you want to do now?"

Harry hummed and Draco smiled at the vibrations.

"I dunno," Harry admitted, "I kind of want to fall asleep with you to keep me warm," he lifted his head and left a kiss on Draco's nose, "And wake up with you," Draco moved and they kissed, opening their mouths and pressing against one another, tongues roving and slipping into the other's territory.

"I like your plan," Draco smiled as he pulled his mouth away, "But I do have one adjustment," and he slipped his mouth to Harry's neck and licked and sucked down the pulse towards Harry's collar bone. He left a large, almost heart-shaped hickey along the way and a small bite mark just below the bone.

Harry moaned, arching his head back and running his hands up Draco's back, under his shirt and along his spine. He spread his hands out and slid them down again, cupping the pretty round arse that sat, almost as a dot on an exclamation point, just below his spine.

Draco gave a petite giggle and led his lips back to Harry's.

"Most enjoyable," he said in his most posh accent and kissed Harry again.

"You know what I like best?" Harry asked and Draco pulled back and watched him intently.

"What do you like best?"

Harry smirked, "This," and he Eskimo kissed Draco and the blonde smiled.

"Too cute," he pecked him on the lips. "Sometimes I think it's too good, this…whatever is happening between us, then you do something adorable and I don't care because you make me happy."

Harry grinned proudly, "I do try. And you really are amazing; forgiving me for having a bet about you, for letting me hang around you all the time and for taking in stride this position of 'planner' for the war." He laughed, "That was sort of forced on you and I had hoped you wouldn't be involved with the war but I love having you there."

Draco blushed just a little, "You're a nice boy," and he kissed him again.

Harry laughed out loud, "a nice boy? I'm a nice boy? I'm not devilishly handsome?- rogue like?-charming?-wicked?"

It was Draco's turn to laugh, "First off, I'm wicked and second off, you're far too sweet and philanthropic to be devilishly anything, you're no rogue and you are charming but not in the suave way you are intending it. It's all sweet and wonderful," he assured the other boy.

Harry did not speak again but continued to kiss the petite blonde laying on top of him.

**::Castle of the Death Queen::**

"What?"

Lucia snarled and threw her chair across the room, watched it shatter against the wall and she turned back to pace, "I don't know!"

Roua rested her chin in her hand, "What happened?"

"I was walking through the corridors, it could not have been past three when a student ran up and fell to their knees, they screamed and screamed and started bleeding from their eyes! A Sangria Moris curse and Merlin I didn't cast it but somehow, when everyone came running the child blamed me!"

"Strange," Roua glared, "Are you certain?"

"Dead certain," she snapped, "Dumbledore said such accusations, especially in a time of war, could not be tolerated, he asked me to leave and already had my replacements lined up."

"Who?"

"The half-breed and his bitch," she snarled and Roua stood violently.

"It was set up," she growled and began to pace, showing her claws and teeth, "Someone told them."

The doors opened and a trio of nymphs walked in, "Queen," they knelt simultaneously, "The flower," in reference to Pansy, "has reached Europe and will continue towards the target on foot."

Roua nodded carefully then turned to Lucia, "Do you suppose?"

The Spaniard's eyes widened, "That bitch," she drew her wand, "I'll find her and show her what her place is."

"No," Roua stopped her cold, "You will do no such thing."

"Why not?"

Roua motioned for the nymphs to leave, "I need you by my side as we close in on Hogwarts."

"We are…?"

"Within the fortnight."

"Does the Dark Lord know?"

"It is his idea," she said and summoned her iron staff, "Sit, I have plans to discuss with you."

**::Bulgaria::**

"Lucius," Octavio seated himself near his brother-in-law, "What has happened?"

Lucius looked up and sighed at the sight of the other man, "I am tired, brother, of the world and this place."

"What has happened?"

"Narcissa's child, Chael, looks so much like his father and my daughter, dead now near as long as she lived, still cries every night and I hear her but when I rise to comfort her I find none else in this house."

"You are lonely."

"I am."

"Lucius, why do you not find someone to live with? Something to occupy your time?"

"It does not matter," he said, "My betrayal means someone is on their way here, to kill me or otherwise."

"You know for certain?"

"I do," he admitted, "The only way to postpone such fate is to continue to run and hide. You know that I do not run away and I certainly do not hide. I will wait and in that time perhaps I will write my memoirs or, perhaps, just letters to my son and wife."

Octavio leaned back, sighed and looked away, "Leave us some memory of you, dear brother, it would be tragic for the world to loose another hero without his story."

Lucius nodded, "I have time," he said, "Perhaps a month if this killer moves slowly, more than a fortnight I am sure."

"Then you should work," Octavio stood, "But I do hope you will be okay."

"I am a Malfoy, brother. We are always okay."

The other man gave him a fond smile, "I will write you within a few days and if you would like, I shall maintain your standings and accounts in England."

"Would you?"

"Of course," Octavio nodded and they shook hands. "I suppose this may be the last time I see you…"

"I assume as much."

They stared at each other in silence, nodded and Octavio stepped back.

"Good-bye, brother."

"Good-bye."

* * *

**YAY!**

**Chapter in a week!**

**WOOOOO!**

**Okay, so,I really like this chapter, don't ask why, it just smiles at me.**

**Draco: You know what smiles at me?**

**FireStorm: No, what smiles at you?**

**Draco: HARRY!**

**Harry: AH!**

**FireStorm: Adorable.**

**:: Draco and Harry Eskimo kiss::**

**Ron: eew**

**Chael: AKSJGWH!!!**

**Ron: What?**

**FireStorm: He called his brother a girl.**

**Draco: What?!**

**FireStorm: Can't you speak baby?**

**Draco: No, you wierdo, I cannot.**

**FireStorm: That sucks.**

**Ron: I know who sucks.**

**FireStorm::sigh:: Who sucks?**

**Ron: Draco, in more ways than one, HAHA!**

**Draco::ATTACKs Ron::**

**Ron::screams like Ginny when she was four::**

**FireStorm: Oh Merlin.**

**Chael: OTRHWKS!**

**FireStorm: Now you're all immature, according to a two week old baby.**

**Love  
FireStorm**


	51. The Dream and Memories

**::Hogwarts School::**

Narcissa wandered the halls as the moon rose. She walked in darkness and the weight of the atmosphere, of the castle, pressed onto her shoulders, her mind and slowed her walk. She wore black and roamed the halls she hid in as a young girl. She revisited alcoves she had slipped into with Lucius in her arms, places she could almost still smell the rain and honey scent of him.

The idea of her husband made her heart sink. Through the windows she saw the moon and remembered his name for when they were young. Sweet Moon. He wrote her letters, sonnets and all were addressed to his Sweet Moon and she sighed.

It was unfair to Severus, to pine for Lucius this way but it was impossible for her to think of his immanent death without feeling a great deal of sadness as well as responsibility.

She turned over her shoulder towards the dark hall stretching endlessly and only lit by the occasional moon filled window.

This corridor was full of him.

It was remote, dusty and silent.

But she saw his handprints in the dust.

She felt his presence as she walked there, he guided her.

She heard his breath and chuckle in the silence though they were dull memories.

Lucius was going to die.

The woman turned towards the moon again and listened to the quiet hum of magic in the castle and the air. She felt Severus, awake in his quarters with Chael in his arms and he quieted the child. She felt Draco, curled against Harry and they breathed at the same time and their hands lay twined together. She felt Azriel and Julian, resting on one another and reading a book as Zav was stretched in front of the fire to keep warm. She listened.

A distant song played, perhaps a lullaby or young student singing themselves to sleep.

She waited and listened again until she recognized it.

_Sleep_

_My son_

_Sleep_

_So nothing might harm you_

_Lay not your weary head_

_Anywhere but home_

_Promise to_

_Come home after the war_

_As I come home to you_

_Each night_

_My son_

It was a family lullaby and she knew that Severus sung it to their son.

Narcissa smiled to herself.

Lucius never sang to Draco. He did not play with his son or take care of him. They were so different.

Lucius was sharp, quick and venomous. His son was taught to be the same but was nevertheless thoughtful, careful and calculating. Lucius was all instinct. Draco was not soft by any stretch of the imagination but he judged situations for entering them. It made Draco a far better politician and strategist. Lucius was a warrior and predator.

She knew that Draco was like Severus; careful. They were not the largest or strongest of men and as such they were cautious and they planned things. Not to say that Lucius was not brilliant and that he did not use his wit to manipulate people, he surely did but it had not always been his primary method.

She began to walk back towards the dungeons.

**::Snape's Quarters::**

Chael settled down, finally.

Snape heard Narcissa leave a few hours ago and shortly thereafter Chael awoke. Severus heard Narcissa sing to him in Latin, in French and even an old form of Gaelic but he never remembered the songs. He hardly remembered the ones he was raised with or the ones he sang to Draco sixteen years ago.

It was difficult to placate his son even with the help of every song and melody that he found.

Severus sat on a chair newly cleared of books and held his son against his chest. The night was cold and so was the air in the castle; still, quiet and cold. He did not mind the cold or the night. Chael did not appreciate either.

The child smiled in his sleep. His black hair was growing rapidly, it had the thick, silken texture of Narcissa's hair and the rich color of his father's. The birthmark had yet to fade and Severus wondered if it ever would. Sometimes he hated it, other times it did not bother him much.

"Chael," he said in a near whisper, "I promise you will not make the mistakes I did. I promise, Merlin, promise you will grow up to be a good, reasonable man with honor and dignity. You will not hide in the dungeons or side streets," he sighed, "You will be a great man, my son, and I will make sure of it."

Chael turned his head up, opened his eyes for a second and smiled at his father. He made a gurgling sound and fell asleep again.

**::Draco's Bed::**

"Hey," Harry whispered in his ear.

The blonde turned, "Eh?"

Harry kissed his cheek, "Gotcha."

"Wha?" Draco, groggy as ever, tilted his head up and glowered at Harry's chin which was just about eye level.

"I just thought I would give you a kiss," he said.

Turning his head over his shoulder Draco eyed the clock and sighed, "It's five in the morning you ogre, why did you wake me up?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Why?"

"I had a dream."

"A nightmare?"

"No," he said, "Just a dream."

"Tell me about it."

**::Harry's Dream::**

The sun was setting and turned the lake a strange mix of gold and black. The harsh winter sent spider leg veins of ice across the surface near the frozen shore. The centre of the lake moved in sluggish waves, offering a slow rhythm to the day.

Harry flew over the lake on the back of a hippogriff and he looked down at the earth and lake. The animal, a dark grey almost black creature, reared up and took him higher for a better view of the castle grounds.

Below him there was snow touching the grounds, softening the harsh, bitter dirt beneath. He saw students by Hagrid's hut and the green houses, the quidditch pitch and he could almost see where the earth was upset by massive tunnels underneath. He steered the hippogriff closer to the ground in hopes of landing and finding out what was happening.

As he landed he saw a boy, perhaps fourteen, with the same brilliant eyes of Chael. He stood with a group of students all wearing the silver and green of Slytherin. Also in that group stood Zav. He was tall and resembled Azriel with his strangely perfect looks and unspoken power. The boys were next to each other and acted like brothers. Harry approached but when no one noticed him, even standing in the middle of the group, he decided that they could not see him.

Harry went into the castle and saw Snape standing at the foot of a staircase with McGonagall and Julian. They all looked older and a little worse for wear. Harry assumed that to be the work of the war and he saw a scar covering Julian's cheek, deep but well healed. His hair was long, as long as Lucius wore it, and it fell around his face even though he had to move some from his eyes every so often. Snape, in himself, was older, probably closing in on sixty, and the lines on his face were deep but not entirely unattractive. He seemed harsh and cold but in the coal eyes Harry saw he was happy, with a son as Chael it was hard to imagine Snape would be upset. They were talking about something and Harry listened in.

"I'm so happy for you."

Julian nodded, "It's incredible, recognition from the European Council is so nice," he smiled, "I knew they would recognize Az's existence but declaring him the legal rites of any other wizard is a blessing. Zav's recognition was wonderful, especially with his coming of age so close."

Snape nodded too, "You must be proud of your son."

Julian nodded, "He's a wonderful young man."

Down the stairs came Azriel, his white hair cropped in a shaggy mane and his bright eyes shone in some unsaid joy.

"I've just heard from Blaise," he said, "He, Ron and the kids will be here soon."

"I do love Christmas," McGonagall smiled.

Harry turned quickly to the doors which opened to allow in an older Ron, Blaise and a whirling group of four children.

The eldest was only about seven and the youngest could not have been more than two. They were all dark skinned like Blaise and they had his features but freckles splashed across the cheeks and noses and their eyes were the same bright blue as Ron.

Harry was highly confused as to how that happened.

Chael and Zav followed them close and stood by their fathers as Ron and Blaise greeted their friends and former professors.

"Where is everyone else?"

Snape looked at Az and the man smiled, "Hermione and Theo are in the tower with their pack already, Pansy is on her way but I haven't heard from the heroes yet."

Ron smiled, "I bet they'll show up."

"They wouldn't miss our annual gathering," Chael insisted and turned to look up at his father, "Would they father?"

"You brother would be flogged for sure."

Harry silently wondered where Narcissa was in all of this. But he stopped when the doors burst open to a sweep of bitter wind and the sight of himself and Draco standing there.

Both boys were stunning. Harry knew he must have been about thirty, maybe a little younger, but he was still young looking. His hair was long and had not started going gray and small scars dusted the left side of his face, none were noticeable alone but as a whole they were, just barely. Draco too wore a bright reminder of the war, a jagged line across the front of his neck stood proud above the collar of his shirt.

In Draco's arms lay a small child, as old as the youngest of Ron and Blaise's clan, and two more at his feet. Twins; a boy and girl, and maybe five years old.

"Thank Merlin you came," Chael ran to his brother, "We did not hear from you and assumed the worst as always."

Draco laughed, "No," and he smiled to his cousin and godfather, "You know how bad we are at telling you all before we arrive."

"Blaise and Ron still manage," Azriel said with a smirk.

Draco smirked, "Deal with it."

Dream Harry picked up one of the children, the girl, and offered her to Snape, "Narcissa misses you."

The girl squawked and reached out for the older man.

Snape smiled softly to her and picked her up out of her father's hands. "She's looks like her."

Draco nodded.

The little girl bore a perfect resemblance to her grandmother. The same eyes, hair and chin and she smiled the same way.

"We had hoped you would take care of her and James while we go to Geneva for the Council."

"What about Sebastian?" He said and eyed the baby.

"Pansy has dibs," Draco explained, "She says the Parkinson manor is lonely and she wants the little one there to spend time with her."

Snape nodded, "I'll take care of the twin terrors."

Harry watched his older self smile to Draco, "Told you he'd do it."

Draco chuckled, "Sucker."

Harry traveled with them up into the towers of the school and into one, decorated in green and blue. Hermione was next to Theo on a couch and they had a baby in arms and one slightly older child sitting before the fire playing with wooden blocks.

Hermione stood and hugged Ron quickly before kissing both he and Blaise on the cheek.

"How are you? How are the babies? There's my little godson!" she smiled and picked up the youngest child, "Hello baby."

The child gargled and held out his hands to her. Theo stood, "You have your own children, Hermione, remember?"

Everyone laughed as she brought the baby back, "Look at him Theo, Sirius is the cutest little baby in the world." She paused, "Right after our sons."

Draco cut it, "You like him best because he's your godson."

"I sure do," she smiled.

Harry sat down and watched the older versions of himself and his friends talk. The children raced around and played and slept as their parents greeted each other with hugs, kisses and congratulations. Azriel and Julian seemed to be hosts while Snape kept mostly to himself in the corner. He had a soft look on his features as he watched the young children and his son.

The door opened and a figure limped in but Harry woke up before he could recognize anything other than long blonde hair.

**::Draco's Bed::**

"We have three children?"

"It was a dream Draco but we all seemed really happy and I wouldn't mind three kids."

"It depends on how they're born," Draco said with a smile, "But," he paused, "I do worry that mum wasn't there."

Harry nodded and stared at the ceiling, "Do you feel bad about allowing your father to die?"

Draco bit his bottom lip, "Of course I do…I loved my father when I was young but I grew up and I realized he didn't love me. I drank and smoked and did drugs because I really wanted him to care, even a little. I wanted, I needed him to tell me he's worried about me. He did not notice, he hardly spoke to me by that time. It was all the Dark Lord and evil and murder. Mum was really upset though and…I wish I could spend some time with him and figure out why he gave up on me but either he dies or Pansy does and Lucius would be killed in or after the war."

"That's an excuse, Draco," Harry said, "Pansy will die someday too."

Draco nodded, "But somehow I feel Lucius deserves it and that's horrible of me, to say that my father deserves to die but after what he did to mother and me, after he killed and tortured so many I cannot pretend he deserves to live."

"But-"

"Listen, Harry, he may be my father but he's a Death Eater and no other will garner special treatment and Lucius should not either."

Harry nodded.

"I'm sorry that I sound so heartless and that it seems like it doesn't affect me, it does."

"I know that."

Draco sighed, "I just don't want to do a disservice to the families of all the people he's hurt. That and I am a Malfoy, Harry, we don't just forget about it when people hurt us and Lucius hurt me…we're vengeful people."

Harry thought that to be an excuse too but he understood.

"Yeah," he paused, "I understand."

* * *

**Hella**

**Happy Thanksgiving kids and kidettes.  
LOVE**

**Blaise: Okay, let us hurry this along to my smut filled chapter, 'eh?**

**Ron: Yeah, Merlin.**

**FireStorm: I'm a pretty good author but this isn't magic, I mean, I'm no Merlin.**

**Ron: Bugger off.**

**Draco::singing:: I want a cookie, who has a cookie? I need a cookie, do you have a cookie?**

**Ron: Off his rocker, that one is.**

**Harry: Yeah, he's got a great bum though.**

**Julian: Eww. Anyways, I once read that sedimentary rocks are formed by-**

**Draco: I HAVE A GREAY BUM AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT, JULIE!**

**Julian: Double eww.**

**Harry: It is nice.**

**Blaise: I want a cookie too.**

**Snape: Shut up.**

**Narcissa: Be nice!**

**Chael: ARGWAAA!**

**FireStorm: He wants a cookie.**

**Blaise: Me too!**

**Draco: Me three, what a coincidence. Now, a really nice author would provide cookies for the oversexed, under payed, stressed out characters she stole from JK Rowling.**

**FireStorm: You would think that**

**Julian: I hardly think the baby is over sexed...**

**FireStorm: Very true**

**Draco: I'm oversexed, so GIMME A DAMN COOKIE**

**Harry: I'll give you a cookie ::nudge nudge wink wink::**

**sigh  
LOVE  
FireStorm**


	52. The Fluff before Battle

**::Dungeons::**

A large room was dedicated to the war. A grand map hung on one wall, all of Europe with countries outlined. Strongholds and major cities were marked with bright green spots and areas under the influence of the Dark Lord were shaded red.

Tables were piled with letters, names and strategies. A ceiling to floor bookshelf was crammed with books one the dark arts, defense and war strategy. Another was full of books on international politics, international war laws and agreements as well as books on manipulation.

Aurors constantly came in and out either through the main entrance or one of many secret doors. Several times a week there were meetings held around the large square conference table in the centre. The chairs around the table were usually burdened with heavy tomes or cauldrons full of potions ingredients to be transported to the potions store rooms.

Two chairs now held Draco and Harry, both bent over a small map of Europe. They occasionally drew arrows or circles on the map, bickering about this and that. Behind them Theodore and Hermione were organizing books, talking about something. Somewhere at the far end of the room Snape was reading, glaring at the page out of either frustration or concentration. The large map was dominated by Blaise as he added roads, towns and rivers to the already fine detail.

"No, no, we cannot do that," Draco argued, "Spreading our resources so thin will only make them easier to attack and destroy."

"Then we need to start conscripting," Harry snapped.

"What?"

"Conscription, the draft?" Harry asked and Draco continued to give him a strange look, "The muggles do it in times of war, they send out messages to all qualified young people, really just the men, and make them join up with the military so they have enough people to fight."

Draco frowned, "That sounds like people in power forcing those without power to do their work for them and that's not the kind of war I want to be involved in."

Harry sighed, "Then how do we fight off the Death Eaters?"

Draco turned over his shoulder to the map, "We request help from our allies."

"Who are we allied with?"

Draco smirked, "As much as the muggles squabbled over politics, all European countries are unified. In Europe we have the Grand European Council of Magic, America has a similar one and the High Sorcery Confederation presides over intercouncil affairs."

"So, we have innumerable allies?"

"Yes."

"Do they?"

"Not even close." Draco said and turned to another blank wall and conjured a map of the entire world, "Everything in green," the world went green, "Is allied under the Sorcery Confederation. Everything in red," several small dots appeared, mostly in England and a few in North America, "Is liable to support the Dark Lord."

"So…" Harry smiled, "We win?"

"Yes we do."

Draco moved some white hair from his face, "I doubt the war will move beyond the United Kingdom so we do not need to worry about sending Aurors to defend foreign countries. Our focus should be requesting help and making sure our Ambassadors to our European allies are well informed and kept safe and in the know."

"Do you think we should start sending out letters to them now?"

"As soon as we can," Draco said and dispelled the map, "It would help if they were from Dumbledore so we need to create a basic outline letter that can be copied and sent to them all."

"Why don't you write that," Harry suggested, "And I can continue working on our map."

Draco nodded.

He sat down and paused when he stared at the parchment in front of him.

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Are you worried?"

Theo, Hermione and Blaise all turned to look at Harry too.

The boy wonder shrugged, "Sometimes. But then I'm reminded that we have all the advantages."

Draco nodded and wrote the letter rather quickly.

Blaise stood up from where he knelt by the bottom of Italy, "We need a break," he declared.

"We do?" Theo asked skeptically.

Draco looked at the clock and saw that they had spent three hours in the War Room. "Maybe we do," he agreed.

Blaise, with ink stained fingers and smudges on his chin and cheek, grabbed Theodore and pulled him towards the door. "We'll go to the Room of Requirement and drink butterbeer and eat pastries and sleep, Merlin we could all use a nap."

Theo sighed and followed Blaise out the room.

Hermione sighed in much the same way and walked between Harry and Draco, a book under her arm.

"I'll never understand that boy," she smiled.

"Who? Blaise?" Draco smiled, "It takes a few years to even get used to him, much less understand him."

Hermione giggled, "He's a sweetheart though, absolutely wonderful."

"Sure is," Draco nodded.

A door opened and Ron stepped out, "Hey, sorry," he looked over his shoulder at the new medical wing he was helping Professor McGongall construct. There were rows of beds with cabinets to hold potions and bandages. Some things were still in progress, the floor and a complex series of entrances and exits as well as communication system between this, the War Room, Dumbledore's office and the House common rooms.

Ron began to walk with them, on the far side of Draco.

"What's going on?" the red head asked.

"Blaise convinced us to take a break and have food and naps in the Room of Requirement."

Ron nodded, "I see."

They reached the door and stepped inside to find Blaise standing on a table conducting a squad of house elves as they set up a large table for lunch. Blaise smiled and hopped down when he saw Ron, "Hi honey," he planted a kiss on the young Weasley's cheek, "Food will be ready soon, love."

"Oh good," Ron grinned, "I'm dying."

**::Unknown Location::**

The masses of dark cloaks rustled, trying to keep from touching the snarling, partial humans and less than partial humans in their midst. Not that the men were uncomfortable with the death nymphs, werewolves and dementors…well, really they were but they did not want the Dark Lord to know.

"My followers," The Dark Lord stood above them on the platform where his throne was. "We will attack the school, at dawn," he shouted and they cheered back.

**::Blaise's New Room::**

"Well this is cozy."

Blaise was sitting on his bed, legs crossed and shirt off, "I know," he smiled and looked around the well furnished rooms, "I'm a lucky boy."

Ron climbed onto the bed and stretched himself out across the queen sized bed, he groaned. "So comfy."

Blaise leaned back, smiling as Ron welcomed the personal bubble space intrusion.

Ron noticed Blaise's hands stained with ink and one eyebrow rose, "What that?"

"I'm detailing the War Room map."

"Really?"

Blaise rolled his big brown eyes, "I may be thick but I'm not utterly untalented. I can draw little lines and circles and label things…except for that town I labeled Buttfont instead of Buetfont…"

Ron laughed loudly and Blaise loved his laugh. It was free of the calculated level and length that burdened his laugh. Blaise was taught that laughing for too long is rude as is laughing not long enough, too loud and too quiet are rude as well and so the perfect pitch, tone, volume and length must be achieved so his laughter is neither rude nor screechy and annoying. It flowed like water and rang like a choral song and he knew that, of course he did, perhaps it sounded spontaneous and delighted but it was all practiced.

Ron did not care about the slight snort that came as he tried to inhale when he laughed or how long it went on or how loud it was or who was around and could hear him. Ron's total lack of etiquette and even more that he did not know or care made Blaise like him that much more.

Ron smiled, "You're so bloody adorable," he kissed Blaise's forehead.

The Italian snake snuggled closer to him, "Good, I do love being likened to a small child or furry critter."

"My furry critter," Ron clarified.

"Damn fuckin' straight," Blaise smirked and kissed his chest.

Ron smiled and tried to doze off before Blaise gave him a little love bite.

Ron squeaked and looked down to see a mark forming, "What was that form."

"Just marking my property."

"I'll show you marking," Ron rolled on top of him and kissed him heartily.

**::Theo's Room::**

Hermione was sitting on the bed with her back to the headboard and cushioned by a couple pillows. She was wearing a pair of Theo's old boxers and a tank top, reading a book with her hair tied back to stay out of her eyes. Theo stood at the window, leaning out a smoking a cigarette, his eyes dancing over the night and smoke and stars.

Hermione had been sleeping in his bed since the new year though they never went farther than heavy petting and only when she was feeling frisky. Theo was not particularly upset about it, he was not Blaise Zabini for Merlin's sake. It was nice to lay in the wake, perpetually plagued by insomnia, and listen to her breath and watch her lips move as she spoke to the people in her dreams.

She was pretty, smart and strong, an independent woman with dreams and wit. Theo often wondered if he could handle this relationship. The longest he had ever spent being exclusive with someone under two months. He looked over his shoulder at her and saw she was staring into space. He turned back to the night and exhaled smoke, tasting the tar and tobacco in his mouth and lungs.

Theo was scared of his addictions, his flaws and his past. He was scared of the Dark Lord, of his inner monologue and his future. A thousand pinpricks hit his skin as he thought about his future. The immediacy of the war and the long term future set out before him. The big plans. His eventual marriage, the birth of his children, graduation and the death of his parents, his freedom and living on his own; all of it rested on the war and then on his choice: Hermione or no?

Theodore was not a virgin. He was not as…well known as Blaise or Pansy or even Draco. He chose carefully and had yet to regret it on the same level Blaise and Draco had. Pansy was more of a heartbreaker than a broken hearted girl but she left them prematurely and never had real relationships.

Hermione looked over at the imperfect shade of gold that crowned Theo. She loved that color. She cared about him deeply and perhaps loved him. She was proud of it. But she was scared. The lioness felt self conscious holding his hand with other people around. It was not her discomfort with him, it was her discomfort with the other people, with the world.

"Theo?" she asked softly.

He turned and she found his bright eyes.

"Yes?" he asked and when he spoke smoke trickled from his lungs and rose around his face.

She paused, "I…I think I love you."

He smiled at her.

"Really?"

She blushed.

"I don't just think it, I do, I love you."

Theodore smiled more to himself because he agreed with her. His fear of the future was answered in the sight of her, on his bed, in his boxers, with his book in her arms. She was definitely in his future.

"I love you too."

* * *

**She's short and fluffy and I thought it necessary since the next one is all plot.**

**53 through maybe 54 or 55 will be the war so be warned.**

**Warnings: character death, blood and sadness will be present. It happens.**

**Draco: If I die I'm gunna be PISSED!**

**Blaise: Yeah, me too.**

**Harry: It's her story boys, don't be mean.**

**Blaise: Kiss arse.**

**Harry: Hey!**

**FireStorm: It's true, you kiss ass.**

**Harry: HEY!**

**Draco: He bites arse too.**

**Ron: Ew!**

**Draco: Suck it up Ronniekins.**

**Azriel: You're all sluts.**

**Julian: Not me**

**Azriel: No, not you.**

**Draco: BUTT SLUT!**

**Harry: You're such a spaz!**

**Draco: You're a penis face, I hate you ::pout::**

**Harry: What? Ah, no::confused!::**

**Blaise::snicker:: penis ::snicker::**

**FireStorm: Well...fuck**

**LOVE  
FireStorm  
**

**ps. if you have predictions I would love to hear them. : )**


	53. The War Part I

**_Italics_ and --- mean scene changes but not long enough to merit a header.**

**Okay**

**:) YAY!**

**

* * *

**

**::Hogwarts Grounds::**

Azriel kicked at a thawing clump of dirt and glared.

It was a cold night and he was standing on the ground waiting for dawn. His mind had been uneasy for several days. Something pressed against his brain and put pressure on his thoughts and nothing fit together quite right anymore. His sighs seemed heavy but his words were light and meaningless. He annoyed himself and bored the world.

So he stood in the freezing morning and watched for the sun, hoping it would clear his mind or at least free it up.

The wind was soft but persistent and he looked to the West, where it originated and he sighed.

He turned to look at the castle, then the lake nearby and finally his eyes shifted to the blackened sky. Like smears of finger paints the clouds lay in the sky touched the softest of pink by the sun.

"Az?" Julian stood on a rock nearby. "Babe, what are you thinking about?"

The half-breed turned and stared at the strange little blonde. Julian stepped down and pulled his cloak tighter around himself and asked again what was going on in his head.

"I'm tired," he admitted, "And I'm worried about you."

"Little old me?"

"The war is on its way to us and Merlin knows you're not great with confrontation."

"Have some faith in me," Julian smiled. "I can handle myself in a fight."

"Or really?" Azriel did not believe him for a second.

"Sure," the young man nodded, "I handled the Dark Lord, didn't I?"

"Not in a fight," Azriel said and felt himself laugh when Julian rolled his eyes.

"I can fight my way out of a paper bag and I can fight my way out of a fight."

"Liar," Azriel smirked and the Malfoy sighed, "I suppose."

Julian looked West and sighed, "It's so dark."

Azriel nodded.

"I worry."

"Find me someone who doesn't," Azriel said and glared.

"You're being mo-"

They stopped when a loud roar reached them. The earth quaked for a half second before the castle flared into light. The windows lit up and a heavy and tense golden light breached the night. It was bright enough to blind Julian for a half second and he happened to look at Azriel and see the shocked and frightened expression on his face.

Julian looked West and saw the blackened cloud of Death.

They ran into the castle just as Dumbledore appeared in the main entry.

"Get the students to the bunkers." He commanded and stepped outside to see them approach.

Azriel and Julian went in opposite directions; Julian to retrieve Zav and warn Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Azriel went to Slytherin. Dumbledore himself went to Gryffindor to oversee the student's rush to safety below the school.

As he arrived he found the six young leaders climbing out of a suit of armor he believed was connected to the Slytherin common room. They knew this was where the head master would go and they quickly followed him into the hall.

"Theo, you and Hermione go to Ravenclaw. Blaise and Ron to Hufflepuff and Dracp and I will go make to the bunkers to make sure the students are arriving safely," Harry commanded and he left no room for question. They split up and went in different directions.

Within a minute students were moving in groups of four down to the dungeons. They stayed together, silent and they moved quickly.

Soon enough Dumbledore stood in the main entry again and Order members surrounded him. Aurors had arrived by floo and stood in rings by rank, flaring out and forming a crowd of perhaps two hundred. Draco, Ron, Blaise, Harry, Hermione, Theodore, Ginny, Crabbe, Goyle, Neville, Seamus, Dean and many of the members of the DA stood within the crowd. Any students under sixth year were sent to the barracks to look after the younger children. Madam Pomfrey was in the new medical ward and teachers guarded students and stood throughout the halls as barriers.

Dumbledore looked to the young Savior and let him step up to make his speech.

"This war," he said and he rose into the air until his head and shoulders were visible to all. Dumbledore glanced to Narcissa and saw she was the cause of that. She stood with Snape and with them was Azriel.

Dumbledore sighed.

"This war," Harry repeated, "Is not being fought for you or for me." He turned to look at Draco, "This war is for the people and not just Wizarding kind, you are fighting for the human race. I do not want a selfish war, we fight for each other, for the world and for humanity. We will be victorious and we will end this today. The war is ours!"

They cheered.

"You know the plan," Harry yelled as they quieted, "Stay together, protect each other, never back down, never give up and never leave each other behind!"

Groups formed immediately, packs of five or three and they stood together, staring ahead and waiting. Harry pointed to them and gave them positions around the Hogwarts grounds. They slid into the shadows, out the doors and to their places as they were ordered. Many went into the Forbidden Forest, some to the edge of the lake, some around the castle walls and many into the towers to attack from there. Four groups were provided Thestrals and Hippogriffs on which to ride and help from on high. Harry, Ron and Hermione joined together while Draco, Blaise and Theo split into their group.

None of them knew why this is how they broke up but perhaps it was that they did not want to break up one couple, so they broke up all three.

"Be safe," Draco said.

Harry, who had been watching the growing mass of blackness, turned to the petite blonde, "I will."

The lions took a few steps forward, as if to approach the soon-to-be battlefield and Draco spoke again.

"I love you."

Harry paused and turned to look at Draco for a long, silent moment.

"I love you too."

Draco smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Blaise and Ron shared a kiss and almost silent words.

Theo kissed Hermione, "Take care of them," he said.

Hermione kissed him, "Take care of yours."

They parted.

_The snake boys were covered in shadows._

_Draco led them along the walls, into the Old and into the centre of the room._

"_Founders," he called to the empty, silent room._

_The mosaics were awake. They looked at him with interest._

Harry walked onto the field as the first Death Nymphs hit the ground. He saw the Dark Lord hovering in the air, Pettigrew to his left and Roua to his right. She snarled in the demonic Death Nymph language and war scarred creatures rushed the field. Werewolves and dementors swarmed forward, screeching and growling at everything in their path.

"_The school is under attack," Draco said and turned to Salazar, "from the Dark Lord and his anti-muggle followers."_

Curses flew from the shadows that housed Aurors and dark followers fell immediately. Harry looked to the sky and saw they fought there too, patronus' exploded outward in the windstorm of dementors. He watched and waited for his opportunity.

_They nodded sadly._

"_If there's anything you can do to protect the school, please do it."_

He saw the Dark Lord descending to the earth and Harry made his way over. Ron and Hermione flanked him, covering themselves and clearing the way.

"Harry, my boy, I see you've grown."

_The mosaics seemed to speak to each other before they disappeared from the walls. _

_Blaise and Theo led Draco out and they saw bright flashes of light from the battle and turned down an empty dark hall. _

"_Let's get 'em," Blaise said and they moved through a secret entrance and onto the field._

Harry just glared in response.

"How old are you now? Fifteen?"

"Sixteen," he said, "You know how long it has been since I destroyed you the first time," Harry smirked, "But with all the defeats in the interim I can understand how you got a little mixed up."

The Dark Lord charged forward a few feet, his hideous features exposed when his hood flew backwards. The slits for nostrils and bloody eyes, sharp and jagged teeth under thin, pale lips were all seen in the rising light.

"You seem to have gotten uglier since last we met."

The Dark Lord snarled, "Insolent brat, your mudblood mother must have passed her poor manners on to you."

Harry sneered, "My manners are just fine," he said, "It is yours that need the work."

In the distance he saw Roua glide to earth with Cuida at her elbow. The Dead Queen paid no heed to the wizards around her; she walked straight at Azriel without batting an eye.

The Night Snow saw her approaching and he kicked the still moving carcass of a werewolf from his path. She dismissed Cuida.

"Half-breed," she called out to him, "Surrender now or be lost to the battle field."

He snarled at her, blood on his elongated nails, "Intimidation is for humans, False Queen, attack if you wish and leave if you will not attack."

Draco watched as Theo and Blaise silently disabled Dementors from either side of him.

She growled at him and he growled back. Slowly the ancient nymph ritual began; they circled one another slowly without breaking eye contact. They crouched low to the ground and moved like predators, snarling and growling at one another.

----

The Dark Lord smirked, "Little Potter boy, you have no idea what you're in for."

"Just fight me, Tom," he said and they raised their wands.

Draco inhaled sharply as violent green curses reached from the brother wands towards one another.

----

"Lay aside your staff."

Roua sneered and hissed at him, "You have your advantages, I have mine."

"True nymphs do not need muggle weapons."

She growled low in her throat and took another step.

Azriel flew through the air, tackled Roua and knocked her staff away. He pinned her to the ground. She let out a bloody scream.

Azriel lifted one clawed hand into the air and pointed his bloody nails at her throat. "Surrender, beast."

She screamed again.

----

The curses met and flashes of light exploded outwards from that point. White, silver, gold, green and blue rang like music notes through the air.

Narcissa turned from the fallen Death Eaters to see them. Her heart raced as she ran towards them. Draco broke from the shadows and ran with his mother to Harry's side.

They stood just behind him, on either side.

Narcissa smiled to her son.

"I will not survive, my child, but you will and you have the world to care for."

He wanted to speak but Narcissa reached out and put one hand around Harry's. She smiled to the Savior and then turned her ocean colored eyes towards the Dark Lord.

* * *

**The War Part I**

**Yeah...**

**Draco: I hate these cliffy-things you insist upon**

**Harry: Merlin, she's doing her best**

**FireStorm: Damn straight**

**Draco: Haha, breeders are eewie**

**Severus::sigh::**

**Draco: What?**

**Severus: I have nothing to say to you**

**Draco: Butt licker**

**Blaise: HAHA!**

**Severus::glowers:: We'll see which Slytherin's get to skate by in Potions next year and which ones won't ::pointed glares::**

**Draco: Damn**

**Blaise: Yeah...**

**FireStorm: LOVE!**

Hugs and Kisses  
FireStorm


	54. The War Part II

---

Julian stood in a tower watching the battle. Zav stood on the window sill watching the battle. He growled, sounding much like a tiger cub, and sometimes hit his fist to the glass, moving with the battle and his father.

Julian himself was watching the confrontation between the Dark Lord and the Boy Wonder. Julian worried for his Aunt, his cousin and for Azriel. The half-breed had the Dead Queen pinned to the ground and she was snarling and trying to escape without progress. However, Narcissa seemed to be preparing for some grand finale. Her stance reminded Julian of the Amazon warriors in wizard children's storybooks. The great women, violent and strong, who stood with their shoulders out, their fists clenched and a glint of steel in their eyes that made even the strongest men cower.

---

Theo and Blaise watched, stunned into silence, as Lady Malfoy began to move in front of Harry.

"Harry," she said, "When I tell you to you must end your spell and focus all your power on me, you must help me."

The lion nodded and waited until she told him.

Harry jerked his wand away and Narcissa moved in front of the deadly green curse. Draco, standing next to Harry, laced their fingers together and focused his power on his mother. Theo and Blaise rushed forward to stand nearby and help.

---

Azriel slid his claws across the throat of the Dead Queen and watched her silver blood leak out. Her fury vanished as she bled to death. Her hold on life weakened and Death Nymphs all around began to dissipate into clouds of noxious black gas. They almost exploded into the clouds and drifted in the morning wind.

The Night Snow watched, carefully, until he knew she was dead. Only then did he stand. Her body became dust and disappeared into the air. The blood remained and began to sink into the ground. There remained some silver blood on his hands and Azriel watched it move up his arms and form a band of silver around his neck. It sat complacently and Azriel worried for a moment until he saw Narcissa step in front of the Dark Lord's curse.

He ran over and stood behind Harry.

Aurors, Order Members and DA kids left the battle field to stand behind Narcissa and offer her strength.

She channeled it.

She reached her arms out to either side and, in the face of the curse, smiled.

The green bolt hovered mere feet in front of her.

She began to bring her arms in front of her, palms facing one another. As they grew closer together it seemed to compress the Dark Lord and he snarled and screamed in response.

Narcissa brought her hands closer and closer together.

At this point the crowd behind her was huge and she had an easier time of keeping the curse from hitting her.

"You have made us suffer enough, Tom Riddle, now is the end." She said and her hands touched.

He screamed and disintegrated the same way the Death Nymphs had. Any conscious Death Eaters ran from the sight of the Dark Lord's demise.

Harry felt himself relax and lean into Draco.

Narcissa hovered in the air, just visible above the crowd. She turned in air and some unfelt wind caught her hair.

She smiled sadly at them.

The edges of her seemed to grow hazy, as if she too were becoming dust.

"Thank-you," she said, "For letting my help you win this war," she smiled, "Harry, you truly are a hero, do not let anyone tell you otherwise. When you go, Sirius will be waiting for you," she said and turned to her son. Her arms were almost invisible now and the edges of her dress and hair began to disappear. "I will not be here," she said, "But I will be with you." She grew fainter, "Severus-"

He stood close by, on the other side of Draco, and he watched her with desperation, "Please," he whispered, "Don't…."

"I love you," she said, "And I love our son, take care of him and sing him our song."

Severus shook his head and reached on hand out to her.

"Be careful," she said, "It's not safe, and you could die too."

And he withdrew his hand.

"I love you," she told him, "I love you," she said to Harry and Draco, "I will always love you."

And she let go.

Her body faded away and a trail of gold was caught in the wind.

Draco turned to Harry and saw one side of his face was dusted in tiny cuts. They were not bleeding much but were high in number.

"Harry," he said, "You need to go to the medical ward."

Harry touched his face. What he had seen his dream was true and Draco realized it too. His hand rose to his neck and he quickly dismissed the idea.

**::An Hour Later::**

Lines of bodies, Death Eaters and werewolves mostly, covered the field. All were being identified and Aurors were still working to bring them in from the far reaches of the grounds.

Draco wandered the piles, searching for nothing except a distraction.

Severus had not moved from the place he stood when Narcissa died. His eyes rested on the same place in the air and his posture, position perhaps even the air in his lungs was the exact same.

No one had touched him.

"Malfoy!" someone shouted and Draco picked his way to where they knelt by a body draped in black.

"What is it?" he asked.

They drew back the hood and Draco saw his father's face.

It was pale and dead in appearance. Lucius' leg was bleeding and it seemed severe.

He stepped backwards, "I-Is he alive?"

The auror checked, "Yes."

"Get him to the hospital ward immediately, if it is possible to save him, do so."

They levitated him away and Draco watched his father go.

Worry built in him, not only for his father but for Pansy and for his friends.

Azriel walked by the place he had killed the Death Queen and he saw a snarl of thorny vines growing. They were the same silver as her blood.

He worried for a moment and then turned his eyes to the sun, now well overhead and it burned off the light fog and dew from the fire parched ground. In the tower he knew Julian was taking care of Chael and Zav and he wished the other blonde would descend.

He saw Cuida sitting on the ground with her arms and legs bound together. She glared at the two Aurors guarding her and when she saw Azriel she spat at him.

"Half-breed," she snarled, "You're a disgrace to all nymphs, not meant to exist."

Azriel sneered, "Death Nymphs are not pure, fool, do not think so. They are part demon and part vampire and part nymph and no better than I am."

She snarled and spat again.

"How else do you think they entered the world of the living?" he asked, "They're not shepards of death, they're homicidal murderers but with Roua dead too they are returned to the half-state they were meant to be in."

Her eyes flared, "Choke on your pride, beast."

He showed his claws, "Shut up, inferior, and sit quietly until the Ministry comes to kill you."

He stood and walked away from her.

Nearby Draco knelt over a werewolf to check for identification. He touched the neck and waited to feel a pulse.

In an instant the wolf was on top of him, snarling with jaws open and less than an inch from the snake.

Draco was silenced by the half-human hand around his neck, suffocating him of air. He felt the same as he did on the train all those months ago. Then he had seen Harry now all he saw were the furious eyes of the beast.

The wolf reached one claw down and made a line, a cut, across Draco's neck before he was blasted away. The echo of green resounded in Draco's mind as he lost more blood.

He felt the earth vibrate as people swarmed towards him but he did not see them before his eyes fell closed.

Azriel was the first to kneel by the snake and stop the bleeding. He glared at the smoking corpse and recognized a half breed when he saw one. The wolf was part demon.

More wizards ran over and Blaise shoved violently through.

"What happened?"

"The dark follower was only playing dead," he explained, "You take him to the medical ward," he stood and allowed Blaise to levitate the limp corpse into the air.

----

Harry sat on the edge of one bed, bandages across his face but he was well enough to help Madam Pomfrey and the three healers from Saint Mungo's check up on patients. He glanced up when the door open but took a second look when Blaise screamed for help. A pair of healers ran over and immediately shut down the closest bed, shielding the patient from view. Harry stood and walked over, worried.

"What's happened?"

Blaise bit his thumb nail, a new nervous habit of his, "Draco's throat got slit, a werewolf bloody pounced on him, Harry."

The Savior stepped back, shocked. "I-how?"

Blaise shook his head quickly, "He was checking for identification, marks, anything and the prick just pounced on him. Bloody fuck, Harry, Azriel stopped the bleeding but Drake was totally out by then. Merlin, Harry, I don't want him to be hurt," Blaise twitched a little and turned back as a healer came out. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine, Master Zabini," the healer calmed him, "We healed the wound and gave him blood, however, he's not healing as we expected. The scar may remain for the rest of his life."

"Thank Merlin," Blaise sighed, "We could care less about a scar," he said, "As long as he's okay."

The healer nodded, "His father too will survive."

Blaise nodded.

"However, Lord Malfoy will have to live with a fairly severe limp due to the amount of venom his leg muscles absorbed. We were unable to undo much of the damage but we managed to clean the venom out of his blood before it damaged his organs or brain."

"Good," Blaise nodded, "Have we lost anyone yet?"

The healer nodded, "Two wizards arrived too late and they have been identified and sent to Saint Mungo's for preservation until burial arrangements are made."

"Who?"

"A man named Mundungus Fletcher and your Professor Sinestra were both killed," he said, "Fletcher was killed by an unknown curse but Sinestra was victim to a werewolf," he said and looked rather remorseful about it, "I am terribly sorry that we could not help them."

Harry sighed, "You did your best, thank-you for everything."

The healer nodded and glanced back as the second emerged, "He'll be awake in a few hours so you can speak to him then."

The second healer smiled, "We have other patients to check on, you two can stay here if you wish."

"Thank-you," Harry nodded.

**::15 March::**

Chael warbled loudly and the Great Hall, loud with the noise of eating and teens, echoed with his strange language. Harry, sitting at the head of Gryffindor glanced over towards Draco. There was an unspoken knowledge among the students that something existed between the snake and the lion; none of them knew for sure.

Draco still wore a bandage around his neck, either to hide the scar or for medical purposes, Harry had yet to ask. Blaise, with a few fading bruises and scars, sat next to him. Theodore was significantly more bruised than either of the other two and he seemed exhausted. Harry himself had spent eighteen hours sleeping the day after the battle. Draco had fifteen and Blaise and Ron each got closer to twenty. By the looks of it Theo had not slept more then a few hours in the past two weeks.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, "Something wrong?"

The Savior shrugged, "I was just thinking."

"About your meeting with the Daily Profit today?"

Harry lied and nodded.

The Profit had non-stop coverage of the battle, the war, the outcome and the contributors. Today they were sending a trio of reports to interview himself, Draco, Hermione, Ron, Blaise, Theo, Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall. Azriel and Julian were interviewed yesterday and their story lay on the cover of the Profit that morning.

_Lord Snow loves a Malfoy_

_Their trail to love and experience in the Dark War_

_The Snow family, long thought to be dead, is resurrected in the young and powerful Lord Azriel Snow. Son of the late Lord Agareon Snow, was long believed dead, killed when his brother and father were. According to legend the Snow men were killed in an attack by the Dark Lord when he took over their manor. What truly happened has just now been discovered. Lord Azriel saw his elder brother, Arden, kill their father and in retaliation, Azriel killed Arden. Azriel then left their family manor to live with a colony of Fire Nymphs in Asia. It was here that he won a mate and had a son. Shortly thereafter he returned to Europe with his child and lover to discover the Dark Lord was searching for him. They were captured but his son, Zaverias, survived in the crater of a dormant volcano until Azriel and his new lover, Master Julian Malfoy, found him. The two first met while Julian was kept as prisoner and concubine to the Dark Lord and Azriel was trapped in the dungeons of his own home. After the young Malfoy escaped and fled to Hogwarts, Azriel was set free and chased the Death Eaters from his home. Azriel too went to Hogwarts in search of Lady Narcissa Malfoy, his relative through her Black Family heritage…_

Harry had read the article through a few times and found that it had not mention of Narcissa's death or her magical heritage. Everyone had been instructed not to disclose the details of her life or death and Harry was glad to see that had been honored.

He looked up to the staff table and saw Severus sitting away from everyone else, holding his son and speaking to no one. Harry felt sad at the sight.

"Come on, Harry," Hermione stood, "Breakfast is almost over."

He stood and followed her and Ron out of the hall. He heard Chael again and turned over his shoulder to see the Potion's Master walking away.

* * *

**Okay**

**One more chapter to go...**

**Yeah, kind of strange huh? I never expected to actually finish this. :) You guys have been great. Thank-you.**

**Sorry this wasn't up yesterday, Washington got attacked by a storm and our power was gone for more than 30 hours. It was crazy.**

**Draco: Muggles and their eclectricity, how silly.**

**Harry: Hey, it's not that bad.**

**Blaise: I really want to learn to drive a car.**

**::horrified looks from all::**

**Harry: Seriously?**

**Draco: Even I know that's a terrible idea.**

**Blaise: Ronnie drove one in second year, I can drive one.**

**Harry: No...no you can't.**

**Blaise: You're jerks.**

**Hermione: Really, Blaise, this summer I'll teach you to drive. My father taught me when I was young and I'm sure it won't be that hard for you to learn.**

**Blaise: YAY!**

**Theo: Hermione, are you nuts?**

**Hermione: No!**

**Draco: HARRY! Make her take it back!**

**FireStorm: Now hush up, I'll say who drives and who doesn't.**

**Harry: DON'T LET HIM DRIVE!**

**Love and Hugs  
FireStorm**


	55. The End

**::21 March::**

"I love my mother," Draco said, "She lived and died in defense of all people and my heart lies with her now. My brother, my father, my godfather and I are deeply wounded by her absence and I can only hope that no one forgets the great things she has done for wizarding kind." The black gloves that protected his hands from the icy wind matched the similarly dark clothes he wore. Harry had learned quickly that, at wizarding funerals, only the immediate family wore black and everyone else dressed in navy. Draco stepped down after finishing his speech. The mage took his place and spoke.

"Narcissa Caea Malfoy is put to rest," he turned to the empty coffin and chanted in Latin before the earth beneath peeled open.

The Malfoy Manor grounds were cold but the earth moved easily. Harry bit his bottom lip as the black marble box slid below the surface. It was carved by hand and decorated in ancient symbols for peace, forgiveness, easy travel, safety and eternity. Silver filled a deep set of marks, her name and years of life as well as words in Latin that Harry did not recognize. Her tombstone, ivory and gold, stood above ground and was magnificent. A pedestal supported a full size sculpture of her and two children. One, a babe in arms, was Chael and the other was a toddler who stood at her side, one of her hands rested on his head. That was Draco. Her head was tilted towards the sky and she glittered in the mid morning sun.

Statues like this covered the hillside and Harry saw women surrounded by five or six children and men who sat on thrones with great staves or scepters in their hands. All the statues were ivory and in perfect condition. There must have been two hundred statues and all of them were Malfoys.

Harry stood with the massive gathering to file past the grave. Draco, Lucius and Severus each placed flowers on the coffin. Four roses carved of emerald and silver decorated the lid as Harry went past. He wondered if Chael would remember his mother the way Harry remembered his, flashes of her dying moment…perhaps not and maybe the strong magic that ran in their blood would connect them.

**::23 March::**

"We have some news," Azriel said to the small gathering.

Zav sat next to Julian, looking around curiously. The boy spoke fair English and he knew something important was happening. Draco and Harry were sharing a bowl of oatmeal when Azriel spoke and they looked up. Severus, Chael, Violet, Blaise, Ron, Hermione and Theo turned towards them.

It was a Sunday morning and everyone sat in the Parlor eating a quiet breakfast away from the hectic Great Hall.

"What?"

"Julian and I have decided to move back to the Snow Manor to live and raise Zav," Azriel explained, "We want to get away from everything, the press and the madness of teaching and taking care of teenagers so we can be together and raise our son."

Everyone nodded slowly.

"We hate to see you go," Draco said.

"We're not leaving until the school year ends and we're going to recommend that Violet be taken on as the Defense teacher for next year. I really would like to stay but we agreed that it is better for Zav and for us."

Severus, who had hardly spoken since the battle, nodded. Even in class he only wrote instructions on the board and nodded or shook his head at students. The old snake turned to his breakfast, a scant portion of oatmeal and sighed silently. Everyone had noticed how thin he had gotten in the past month and how he had completely withdrawn.

Julian spoke, "I cannot imagine we'll never come back," he smiled, "When Zav is old enough we'll teach here again but at least for a few years we want to be together."

"That's understandable," Hermione smiled, "You two will be so happy together."

"We are," Julian grinned, "I can't wait to relax," they laughed.

"That'll be great," they agreed and discussed what the two would do with their retirement.

**:: 4 June::**

"Students," Dumbledore smiled at the masses of students as they sat waiting for the final feast. "This year has brought us many things, good and bad. The loss of two professors and the impending early retirement of two more," he smiled to Julian and Azriel, "But the addition of two children to our world brightens the future," he motioned to Chael and Zav. "The war has shown us that Hogwarts can stand together and defend itself and the accomplishments of our students in the war have been written into history as part of a great victory. The House Cup this year is awarded to Slytherin not because they have the most points but because their students have shown great growth and maturity this past year and we honor them."

Draco stood amidst thunderous applause to retrieve the cup.

"You have all done Hogwarts well and I am proud of every one of you for your contribution and growth during this year." He smiled and the students cheered, "Let us have a moment of silence to remember those who have passed on this year," silence fell and rested until, "Now, let us eat and be joyous!"

Harry was first to spear some meat from the whole cooked turkey that appeared in front of him. He smiled and allowed Hermione to serve him and Ron their steamed vegetables and stuffing. He gave them each slices of meat and potatoes while Ron dished out rolls and gravy. He happened to glance over at Draco and he was forcing food on Theo.

"Mione," he said, "What's wrong with Theo? He and Snape don't look okay since the war."

Hermione sighed.

"Right after the battle he would hardly sleep at all but he's been getting better. All he does now is smoke and read and write dissertations on defense, war tactics and the psychology of purebloods wizards and why they supported the Dark Lord."

Ron frowned, "Really?"

She nodded.

"Blaise has done nothing but sleep and eat and act like a fool," he said and looked over his shoulder at the smirking Italian.

Harry nodded too, "Draco's been himself…more concerned about Snape but himself as usual."

The trio looked to where the Potion's Master and five-month-old Chael sat eating.

The past few months were hard, beyond the publicity and appearances Harry found himself at, classes were as hard as ever. Since the end of March Harry had been to Diagon Alley, the Ministry and the rest of wizarding London at least ten times for dedications of plaques, statues, celebrations and speeches. Harry had met with the High Sorcery Confederation and the Grand European Council of Magic for official briefings on the war and interviews with some of the highest ranking wizards in the world. There were numerous photos from these events and they were usually very good. Hermione had started a scrapbook for them. Often Harry would stand, flanked by Ron and Hermione, with Dumbledore, Remus and the Chief Auror, Pirus Nico, in the background. There was one specifically where Draco stood very close to Harry, both looking straight at the camera and smirking ever so slightly. It was framed and sat on the mantel of the fireplace at Draco's Dublin Manor.

The meal finished and Harry found himself immediately drawn to Draco. He linked their hands and in the crowd no one noticed. They walked together to Shag Terrace and soon enough they were joined by their friends.

They sat down, laughing in the warm evening air. Blaise and Theo lit cigarettes and Draco stole drags every once in a while.

"This year," Draco began, "Has been frightening, painful, amazing and perfect."

They nodded, "I'm so glad that things," Harry paused, "Worked out for all of us."

Blaise smiled and lit another cigarette with the last of his first, "Do you suppose we'll ever find the answers to our unanswered questions?"

"Like whom the next Keeper is."

"And what exactly happened to Narcissa."

"And what will happen to Snape-"

"-and Julian and Az."

"I wonder where Pansy is," Theo said and there was a pause while everyone nodded.

"I still want to know what happened to Roua and the Death Nymphs."

They nodded.

"What about Lucius?"

"I haven't heard from him since the end of March." Draco said.

"I assume he's alive…" Hermione said and the others shrugged.

"I bet we'll find out eventually," Ron said.

"I think so." They agreed and sat in silence and smoke for a few minutes.

**::Platform 9 ¾::**

"Come on," Draco held out his hand to Harry and they stepped off the train together.

The boys smiled to one another. They made sure some of the Malfoy's elves had claimed and were loading their luggage before they began towards the entrance to the muggle world. In the way stood Lucius, leaning heavily on the snake-head cane that used to be merely for show. He looked older, thinner and in pain.

"Draco," he said and his voice was hoarse, "My son, please, come here. We need to talk."

The blonde approached his father, "Lucius, what do we have to talk about? You hate me and you hate that I love Harry. I-"

"Draco, please," Lucius interrupted him, "I do not hate Harry or that you love him, please, hear me out."

"Okay…"

Lucius limped forward and reached his hand out, "I'm so sorry, son, for everything. For endangering you and your mother for so many years and for being such a horrible father, I'm sorry for threatening you and for not accepting you and your love and your life. I really…I nearly died and I had to say I was sorry before I died. I did not get the chance before the battle so I had to tell you now."

"Why were you at the battle to begin with?"

"My Dark Mark burned," he said, "So I came to the school and I found myself in the middle of a war zone."

"Why didn't you just leave then?"

Lucius sighed, "I said that I would help fight against the Dark Lord and missing the single battle of the war would not help my position as accused former Death Eater. I wanted to help, I wanted…to do some good for once."

"And…you do not hate me?"

"No," Lucius shook his head, "You don't hate me?"

"Sort of," Draco admitted, "In time I won't."

Lucius smiled softly and turned to Harry, "Mr. Potter? I suppose I have to apologize to you too," he held out his hand, "You're a fine young man and Draco cares about you. I would like to invite you to be part of our family as long as he wants you with us and, I am sorry for everything that has occurred between us these past six years."

Harry smiled, "Thank-you Mr. Malfoy, I would love to be part of your family."

They smiled.

"This year has turned us all into someone new."

And it had.

_Fin_

* * *

** The support for this fic has been incredible, all the positive feedback and the amazing reviews and readers, you've made me love this fic and appreciate everything so much. I hate to end it but the sequel "Keeping You the Same" is well underway and I hope to have it up and going by mid to late January and Azriel and Julian's sequel (by popular demand) "Inexplicable" ought to be going to February.**

**Thank you all so much**

**I love you**

**You've been amazing and I could never ask for more, you've surprised me and I can't express my gratitude and joy. This has been an amazing journey and your support and loyalty mean the world to me.**

**Thank you  
Thank you  
Thank you****  
FireStorm  
bow**


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